1996 New Zealand Labour Party leadership election

New Zealand party leadership election

1996 New Zealand Labour Party leadership election | <- 1993 | 27 May 1996 | 2008 ->

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Candidate  | Helen Clark | Phil Goff
Popular vote  | Unopposed | Withdrew

* * *

| Leader before election

Helen Clark

| Leader after election

Helen Clark

|

The 1996 New Zealand Labour Party leadership election was intended to determine the future leadership of the New Zealand Labour Party. The leadership was retained by Mount Albert MP Helen Clark, who was the incumbent leader.

## Background[edit]

Despite unseating Mike Moore from the leadership Labour struggled against New Zealand First and the Alliance, after being already behind both National and the Alliance in numerous polls throughout 1995. By early 1996, it still continuously polling poorly, with some showing support below 20%. Labour was still associated with its unpopular Rogernomics image from the 1980s - which Clark was seeking to jettison.[1] This was part of a wider divide inside Labour between its drastically differing left and right factions. Clark was of the left-leaning faction, attempting to restore Labour to it social-democratic roots, while those on the right-wing of Labour (such as Goff) were intent on retaining the deregulation and free trade policies of the 1980s, albeit more moderately.[2]

## Candidates[edit]

### Helen Clark[edit]

Clark had led Labour for nearly three years since her own leadership challenge in 1993 against Mike Moore.[3] She proved very unpopular in the country at the time and, at one point, had approval ratings of two percent nationally, but was seen regarded as a colossus within the Labour party itself by Goff and his allies. Clark had yet to connect with voters seeming aloof and wooden. Her widely acknowledged intelligence came across more as arrogance than aptitude.[2]

### Phil Goff[edit]

Goff had been a cabinet minister for the entirety of the Fourth Labour Government, actually having more cabinet experience than Clark, who only became a minister in 1987. He was currently serving as the Shadow Minister of Justice under Clark.[4] However, Goff was largely unknown, a dangerous factor only months from an election coupled with his hardline reputation as a Rogernomics-era Minister (something Goff had vigorously supported), an image Labour was trying to shake. This caused many fence sitters to remain with the status-quo, fearing voter backlash.[2]

### Mike Moore[edit]

After losing the leadership to Clark, Moore had strongly considered forming a break-away party, the New Zealand Democratic Coalition with Geoff Braybrooke for the new MMP era, but then decided against it. A couple of Maori MPs told Goff's lieutenants they were willing to vote against Clark, but for Moore rather than Goff.[2]

## Result[edit]

A delegation of Goff and Labour frontbenchers Annette King, Michael Cullen, Jim Sutton and Koro Wētere met with Clark in her office prior to a caucus meeting persuading her to stand down and informing her (in a ruse) that they had the numbers to oust her if she refused.[2] Clark had been prepared for it and had already mobilised her own allies, her deputy David Caygill, Trevor Mallard, Steve Maharey and whip Jonathan Hunt. They had assured her that there were enough MPs loyal to her that the challenge could be averted.[5] Clark stared Goff and his supporters down and ultimately remained leader.[2]

Over the period Caygill had been privately contemplating retiring from politics. On 7 June he informed Clark of his decision to stand down. On 11 June Caygill announced his retirement to a surprised caucus where Cullen was elected the new deputy leader unopposed. Only a day earlier the five frontbench MPs who had confronted Clark had said they wouldn't push for a leadership vote. Caygill said there had been no pressure on him to quit and hoped it would provide the "circuit-breaker" to Labour's troubles.[6] Moore, who still held leadership ambitions, refused to comment on the positional change, saying only that he did not contest the deputy leadership because he was "a leader, not a deputy".[7]

## Outcome[edit]

Clark would lead Labour until she resigned in 2008. Clark was advised by her allies to demote Goff, but she chose not to. As feared, Labour lost the 1996 election, but did better than many earlier polls indicated. Clark would go on to win three consecutively (Labour's best showing since their first government) in 1999, 2002 and 2005. Goff would eventually become leader in 2008 when Clark resigned following that year's election.

As Goff had hosted a barbeque for his colleagues during the planning stage of the leadership challenge the term "BBQ" became a code word in New Zealand from then on for leadership coups.[8]

## Notes[edit]

1. ^ Edwards 2001, p. 247-8.
2. ^ a b c d e f Quin, Phil (2 April 2011). "Phil Quin: The anatomy of a failed Labour coup". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
3. ^ Edwards 2001, p. 228-9.
4. ^ "The Labour Shadow Cabinet". The Dominion. 14 December 1993. p. 2.
5. ^ Edwards 2001, p. 247.
6. ^ Boyd, Sarah (12 June 1996). "Late twist leaves Moore out in the cold". The Evening Post. p. 2.
7. ^ Kirk, Jeremy (12 June 1996). "Clark secure as rebels pledge fealty; Cullen picked as Caygill quits". The Press.
8. ^ Young, Audrey (31 January 2018). "National leadership speculation reveals MPs unhappy with Steven Joyce". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 31 January 2018.

## References[edit]

* Edwards, Brian (2001). Helen: Portrait of A Prime Minister. Auckland: Exisle Publishing. ISBN 0-908988-20-6.

* v
* t
* e

New Zealand Labour Party

Leadership

| Leaders
Names in bold served
as prime minister|

* Alfred Hindmarsh (1916–18)
* Harry Holland (1919–33)
* Michael Joseph Savage (1933–40)
* Peter Fraser (1940–50)
* Walter Nash (1950–63)
* Arnold Nordmeyer (1963–65)
* Norman Kirk (1965–74)
* Bill Rowling (1974–83)
* David Lange (1983–89)
* Geoffrey Palmer (1989–90)
* Mike Moore (1990–93)
* Helen Clark (1993–2008)
* Phil Goff (2008–11)
* David Shearer (2011–13)
* David Cunliffe (2013–14)
* Andrew Little (2014–17)
* Jacinda Ardern (2017–23)
* Chris Hipkins (2023–present)

* * *

|

Deputy leaders|

* James McCombs (1919–23)
* Michael Joseph Savage (1923–33)
* Peter Fraser (1933–40)
* Walter Nash (1940–51)
* Jerry Skinner (1951–62)
* Fred Hackett (1962–63)
* Hugh Watt (1963–74)
* Bob Tizard (1974–79)
* David Lange (1979–83)
* Geoffrey Palmer (1983–89)
* Helen Clark (1989–93)
* David Caygill (1993–96)
* Michael Cullen (1996–2008)
* Annette King (2008–11)
* Grant Robertson (2011–13)
* David Parker (2013–14)
* Annette King (2014–17)
* Jacinda Ardern (2017)
* Kelvin Davis (2017–23)
* Carmel Sepuloni (2023–present)

* * *

Leadership elections|

* 1919
* 1920
* 1921
* 1922
* 1923
* 1933
* 1940
* 1951
* 1954
* 1963
* 1965
* 1974
* 1980
* 1983
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1993
* 1996
* 2008
* 2011
* 2013
* 2014
* 2017
* 2023

Internal offices

| Party presidents|

* James McCombs (1916–17)
* Andrew Walker (1917–18)
* Tom Paul (1918–20)
* Peter Fraser (1920–21)
* Frederick Cooke (1921–22)
* Tom Brindle (1922–26)
* Bob Semple (1926–28)
* John Archer (1928–29)
* Jim Thorn (1929–31)
* Rex Mason (1931–32)
* Bill Jordan (1932–33)
* Frank Langstone (1933–34)
* Tim Armstrong (1934–35)
* Walter Nash (1935–36)
* Clyde Carr (1936–37)
* James Roberts (1937–50)
* Arnold Nordmeyer (1950–55)
* Mick Moohan (1955–60)
* Martyn Finlay (1960–64)
* Norman Kirk (1964–66)
* Norman Douglas (1966–70)
* Bill Rowling (1970–73)
* Charles Bennett (1973–76)
* Arthur Faulkner (1976–79)
* Jim Anderton (1979–84)
* Margaret Wilson (1984–87)
* Rex Jones (1987–88)
* Ruth Dyson (1988–93)
* Maryan Street (1993–95)
* Michael Hirschfeld (1995–99)
* Bob Harvey (1999–2000)
* Mike Williams (2000–09)
* Andrew Little (2009–11)
* Moira Coatsworth (2011–15)
* Nigel Haworth (2015–19)
* Claire Szabó (2019–22)
* Jill Day (2022–present)

* * *

|

General secretaries|

* John Glover (1916–19)
* Michael Joseph Savage (1919–20)
* Moses Ayrton (1920–22)
* Walter Nash (1922–32)
* Jim Thorn (1932–36)
* David Wilson (1936–40)
* Mick Moohan (1940–48)
* Allan McDonald (1948–71)
* John Wybrow (1971–85)
* Tony Timms (1985–95)
* Rob Allen (1995–2000)
* Mike Smith (2001–08)
* Chris Flatt (2008–12)
* Tim Barnett (2012–16)
* Andrew Kirton (2016–18)
* Andre Anderson (2018–20)
* Rob Salmond (2020–present)

* * *

Senior Whips|

* Andrew Walker (1916–19)
* James McCombs (1919–22)
* Dan Sullivan (1922–35)
* Bill Jordan (1935–36)
* Robert McKeen (1937–39)
* James O'Brien (1939–42)
* Arthur Shapton Richards (1942–47)
* Robert Macfarlane (1947–51)
* Phil Connolly (1951–52)
* Joe Cotterill (1952–58)
* Henry May (1958–72)
* Ron Barclay (1972–76)
* Roger Drayton (1976–78)
* Russell Marshall (1978–80)
* Jonathan Hunt (1980–84)
* Michael Cullen (1984–87)
* Margaret Austin (1987–90)
* Trevor Mallard (1990)
* Jonathan Hunt (1990–96)
* Mark Burton (1996–99)
* Rick Barker (1999–2002)
* David Benson-Pope (2002–04)
* Jill Pettis (2004–05)
* Tim Barnett (2005–08)
* Darren Hughes (2008–11)
* Rick Barker (2011)
* Chris Hipkins (2011–13)
* Sue Moroney (2013–14)
* Chris Hipkins (2014–16)
* Kris Faafoi (2016–17)
* Ruth Dyson (2017–19)
* Michael Wood (2019–20)
* Kieran McAnulty (2020–22)
* Duncan Webb (2022–23)
* Tangi Utikere (2023–present)

Organisation

| Current members
of parliament
Names without
electorates are list MPs
(List of former MPs)|

* Leader: Chris Hipkins (Remutaka)
* Deputy Leader: Carmel Sepuloni (Kelston)

* Ginny Andersen
* Camilla Belich
* Glen Bennett
* Rachel Boyack (Nelson)
* Rachel Brooking (Dunedin)
* Reuben Davidson (Christchurch East)
* Barbara Edmonds (Mana)
* Shanan Halbert
* Peeni Henare
* Willie Jackson
* Ingrid Leary (Taieri)
* Jo Luxton
* Kieran McAnulty
* Tracey McLellan
* Damien O'Connor
* Greg O'Connor (Ōhāriu)
* David Parker
* Willow-Jean Prime
* Priyanca Radhakrishnan
* Adrian Rurawhe
* Deborah Russell
* Jenny Salesa (Panmure-Ōtāhuhu)
* Lemauga Lydia Sosene (Māngere)
* Cushla Tangaere-Manuel (Ikaroa-Rāwhiti)
* Jan Tinetti
* Phil Twyford (Te Atatū)
* Tangi Utikere (Palmerston North)
* Ayesha Verrall
* Duncan Webb (Christchurch Central)
* Helen White (Mount Albert)
* Arena Williams (Manurewa)
* Megan Woods (Wigram)

* * *

|

Related organisations|

* City Vision
* The People's Choice
* Princes Street Labour
* Rainbow Labour
* Rātana
* VicLabour
* Young Labour

History

| History and related topics|

* Liberal–Labour
* Labour Unity Conferences
* Lee affair
* Black Budget
* Mason Affair
* It's Time
* Citizens for Rowling
* Moyle Affair
* Fish and Chip Brigade
* Rogernomics
* Māori loan affair
* Backbone club
* Closing the Gaps
* Helengrad
* Corngate
* Foreshore and seabed controversy
* KiwiSaver

* * *

|

Labour governments|

* First (1935–49)
* Second (1957–60)
* Third (1972–75)
* Fourth (1984–90)
* Fifth (1999–2008)
* Sixth (2017–23)

* * *

Shadow cabinets|

* Kirk
* Rowling
* Lange
* Moore
* Clark
* Goff
* Shearer
* Cunliffe
* Little
* Ardern
* Hipkins

* * *

Predecessor parties|

* New Zealand Liberal Party
* New Zealand Socialist Party
* Independent Political Labour League
* New Zealand Labour Party (1910)
* United Labour Party
* Social Democratic Party

* v
* t
* e

Helen Clark

Born  (1950-02-26) 26 February 1950 (age 74)
Administrator of the UN Development Programme (2009–2017) • Prime Minister of New Zealand (1999–2008) • Leader of the Labour Party (1993–2008) • Member of Parliament for Mount Albert (1981–2009)

Premiership|

* 1999–2008

Elections|

* 1996
* 1999
* 2002
* 2005
* 2008

Leadership elections|

* 1993
* 1996

Ideology|

* Closing the Gaps
* Working for Families
* KiwiSaver
* Cullen Fund

Related articles|

* Peter Davis (husband)
* Shadow Cabinet
* Helengrad
* Corngate
* Helen Clark Foundation

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