44th New Zealand Parliament

Term of the Parliament of New Zealand

44th Parliament of New Zealand

| <-| 43rd Parliament | 45th Parliament| ->

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Bowen House, Wellington

Overview
Legislative body| New Zealand Parliament
Term| 21 December 1993 – 27 August 1996
Election| 1993 New Zealand general election
Government| Fourth National Government
House of Representatives

Members| 99
Speaker of the House| Peter Tapsell
Leader of the House| Don McKinnon
Prime Minister| Jim Bolger
Leader of the Opposition| Helen Clark
Sovereign
Monarch| Elizabeth II
Governor-General| Michael Hardie Boys
— Dame Catherine Tizard until 21 March 1996

The 44th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. Its composition was determined by the 1993 elections, and it sat until the 1996 elections.

The 44th Parliament was the last to be elected under the old FPP electoral system, with voters approving a change to MMP at the same time as they voted in the 1993 elections. As such, the 44th Parliament saw a considerable amount of positioning for the change -- at the beginning of the term, there were four parties in Parliament, but at the end, there were seven parties and one independent. The National Party, which had begun the term with a majority, was forced by the end of the term to form a coalition with several smaller parties to remain in power. Despite the various maneuverings, however, the National Party remained in government for the duration of the 44th Parliament, which comprised National's second term in office. The other three parties present at the start of the 44th Parliament, being the Labour Party, the Alliance, and New Zealand First, all remained in opposition.

The 44th Parliament consisted of ninety-nine representatives, two more than the previous Parliament. All of these representatives were chosen by single-member geographical electorates, including four special Māori electorates.

From 1991 to 1996—including the entirety of the 44th term of Parliament—MPs met in a debating chamber in Bowen House while Parliament House was being refurbished.[1]

## Electoral boundaries for the 44th Parliament

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## Overview of seats

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The table below shows the number of MPs in each party following the 1993 election and at dissolution:

Affiliation  | Members

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At 1993 election | At dissolution
| National | 50  | 41
| United NZ | –  | 7
| Conservatives | –  | 1
| Christian Democrats | –  | 1
| Independent | –  | 1
Government total | 50 | 51
| Labour | 45  | 41
| NZ First | 2  | 5
| Alliance | 2  | 2
Opposition total | 49 | 48
Total
| 99  | 99
Working Government majority | 1  | 3

Notes

* The Working Government majority is calculated as all Government MPs less all other parties.
* ^CS The Green Party entered a confidence and supply agreement with the Labour-Alliance coalition

## Initial composition of the 44th Parliament

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The table below shows the results of the 1993 general election by electorate:[2]

Key

National Labour Alliance NZ First Independent

Electorate results for the 1993 New Zealand general election  Electorate  | Incumbent  | Winner  | Majority  | Runner up

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General electorates
Albany |  | Don McKinnon | 3,651  |  | Jill Jeffs
Auckland Central |  | Richard Prebble |  | Sandra Lee | 1,291  |  | Richard Prebble
Avon |  | Larry Sutherland | 5,643  |  | Marie Venning
Awarua |  | Jeff Grant |  | Eric Roy | 2,236  |  | Olivia Scaletti-Longley
Birkenhead |  | Ian Revell | 104  |  | Ann Hartley
Christchurch Central |  | Lianne Dalziel | 6,189  |  | Andrew Rowe
Christchurch North |  | Mike Moore | 6,024  |  | Lee Morgan
Clutha |  | Robin Gray | 4,117  |  | Jeff Buchanan
Dunedin North |  | Pete Hodgson | 3,794  |  | Hugh Perkins
Dunedin West |  | Clive Matthewson | 4,477  |  | Ollie Turner
East Coast Bays |  | Murray McCully | 4,516  |  | Heather-Anne McConachy
Eastern Bay of Plenty | New electorate  |  | Tony Ryall | 806  |  | Diane Collins
Eastern Hutt |  | Paul Swain | 4,718  |  | Peter MacMillan
Eden |  | Christine Fletcher | 3,394  |  | Verna Smith
Far North | New electorate  |  | John Carter | 3,425  |  | Maryanne Baker
Fendalton |  | Philip Burdon | 4,982  |  | Tony Day
Franklin | New electorate  |  | Bill Birch | 3,543  |  | Judy Bischoff
Gisborne |  | Wayne Kimber |  | Janet Mackey | 1,068  |  | Wayne Kimber
Glenfield |  | Peter Hilt | 1,983  |  | Ann Batten
Hamilton East |  | Tony Steel |  | Dianne Yates | 80  |  | Tony Steel
Hamilton West |  | Grant Thomas |  | Martin Gallagher | 449  |  | Grant Thomas
Hastings |  | Jeff Whittaker |  | Rick Barker | 2,571  |  | Cynthia Bowers
Hauraki | New electorate  |  | Warren Kyd | 1,870  |  | Jeanette Fitzsimons
Hawkes Bay |  | Michael Laws | 3,143  |  | Peter Reynolds
Henderson | New electorate  |  | Jack Elder | 2,130  |  | David Jorgensen
Heretaunga |  | Peter McCardle | 832  |  | Heather Simpson
Hobson |  | Ross Meurant | 2,697  |  | Frank Grover
Horowhenua |  | Hamish Hancock |  | Judy Keall | 2,347  |  | Hamish Hancock
Howick | New electorate  |  | Trevor Rogers | 5,754  |  | James Clarke
Invercargill |  | Rob Munro |  | Mark Peck | 1,174  |  | Rob Munro
Island Bay |  | Elizabeth Tennet | 5,422  |  | Chris Shields
Kaimai |  | Robert Anderson | 372  |  | Peter Brown
Kaipara |  | Lockwood Smith | 2,958  |  | Rosalie Steward
Kapiti |  | Roger Sowry | 1,038  |  | Rob Calder
King Country |  | Jim Bolger | 4,506  |  | Murray Simpson
Lyttelton |  | Gail McIntosh |  | Ruth Dyson | 677  |  | David Carter
Manawatu |  | Hamish MacIntyre[nb 1] |  | Jill White | 164  |  | Gray Baldwin
Māngere |  | David Lange | 5,958  |  | Len Richards
Manurewa |  | George Hawkins | 4,014  |  | Mark Chalmers
Marlborough |  | Doug Kidd | 2,548  |  | Ron Howard
Matakana | New electorate  |  | Graeme Lee | 893  |  | John Neill
Matamata |  | John Luxton | 5,977  |  | John Pemberton
Miramar |  | Graeme Reeves |  | Annette King | 2,595  |  | Graeme Reeves
Mount Albert |  | Helen Clark | 4,656  |  | Vanessa Brown
Napier |  | Geoff Braybrooke | 4,926  |  | Colleen Pritchard
Nelson |  | John Blincoe | 2,007  |  | Margaret Emerre
New Lynn |  | Jonathan Hunt | 1,598  |  | Cliff Robinson
New Plymouth |  | John Armstrong |  | Harry Duynhoven | 3,126  |  | John Armstrong
North Shore |  | Bruce Cliffe | 4,723  |  | Joel Cayford
Onehunga |  | Grahame Thorne |  | Richard Northey | 407  |  | Grahame Thorne
Onslow | New electorate  |  | Peter Dunne | 1,065  |  | George Mathew
Otago |  | Warren Cooper | 3,220  |  | Janet Yiakmis
Otara |  | Trevor Rogers |  | Taito Phillip Field | 5,981  |  | Shane Frith
Pahiatua |  | John Falloon | 5,178  |  | Margo Martindale
Pakuranga |  | Maurice Williamson | 5,460  |  | Heather MacKay
Palmerston North |  | Steve Maharey | 3,764  |  | Barbara Stones
Panmure |  | Judith Tizard | 3,277  |  | Bruce Jesson
Papakura |  | John Robertson | 484  |  | Nancy Hawks
Papatoetoe |  | Ross Robertson | 5,977  |  | Jim Wild
Pencarrow |  | Sonja Davies |  | Trevor Mallard | 2,641  |  | Rosemarie Thomas
Porirua |  | Graham Kelly | 6,713  |  | Lagi Sipeli
Raglan |  | Simon Upton | 4,540  |  | Bill Harris
Rakaia | New electorate  |  | Jenny Shipley | 4,540  |  | John Howie
Rangiora |  | Jim Gerard | 4,469  |  | Maureen Little
Rangitīkei |  | Denis Marshall | 3,422  |  | Bob Peck
Remuera |  | Doug Graham | 8,619  |  | Mary Tierney
Roskill |  | Gilbert Myles[nb 2] |  | Phil Goff | 2,205  |  | Allan Spence
Rotorua |  | Paul East | 429  |  | Keith Ridings
Selwyn |  | Ruth Richardson | 888  |  | Ron Mark
St Albans |  | David Caygill | 3,425  |  | Raewyn Dawson
St Kilda |  | Michael Cullen | 5,071  |  | Leah McBey
Sydenham |  | Jim Anderton | 7,476  |  | Greg Coyle
Tāmaki |  | Clem Simich | 7,951  |  | Richard Green
Taranaki |  | Roger Maxwell | 4,871  |  | Stephen Wood
Tarawera |  | Max Bradford | 4,155  |  | Gordon Dickson
Tasman |  | Nick Smith | 4,059  |  | Geoff Rowling
Tauranga |  | Winston Peters[nb 3] |  | Winston Peters | 7,924  |  | John Cronin
Te Atatū |  | Brian Neeson |  | Chris Carter | 1,388  |  | Laila Harré
Timaru |  | Maurice McTigue |  | Jim Sutton | 2,940  |  | Maurice McTigue
Titirangi |  | Marie Hasler |  | Suzanne Sinclair | 340  |  | Marie Hasler
Tongariro |  | Ian Peters |  | Mark Burton | 1,951  |  | Ian Peters
Waikaremoana |  | Roger McClay | 4,021  |  | Gregg Sheehan
Waikato |  | Rob Storey | 2,286  |  | Susan Moore
Waipa |  | Katherine O'Regan | 3,730  |  | John Kilbride
Wairarapa |  | Wyatt Creech | 2,229  |  | Peter Teahan
Waitakere | New electorate  |  | Brian Neeson | 3,180  |  | Barbara Hutchinson
Waitaki |  | Alec Neill | 53  |  | Bruce Albiston[nb 4]
Waitotara |  | Peter Gresham | 4,545  |  | K F Lehmstedt
Wallace |  | Bill English | 5,578  |  | Lesley Soper
Wanganui |  | Cam Campion[nb 5] |  | Jill Pettis | 3,371  |  | Gael Donoghue
Wellington-Karori | New electorate  |  | Pauline Gardiner | 480  |  | Chris Laidlaw
West Coast |  | Margaret Moir |  | Damien O'Connor | 2,920  |  | Margaret Moir
Western Hutt |  | Joy Quigley | 1,542  |  | Vern Walsh
Whangarei |  | John Banks | 1,587  |  | Mark Furey
Yaldhurst |  | Margaret Austin | 2,997  |  | David Watson
Māori electorates
Eastern Maori |  | Peter Tapsell | 6,666  |  | Alamein Kopu
Northern Maori |  | Bruce Gregory |  | Tau Henare | 416  |  | Bruce Gregory
Southern Maori |  | Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan | 6,340  |  | Jules Parkinson
Western Maori |  | Koro Wētere | 3,777  |  | Ricky Taiaroa

Table footnotes:

1. ^ Hamish MacIntyre left National in 1992, joining the Liberal Party which became part of the Alliance
2. ^ Gilbert Myles left National in 1991, becoming Independent, then joining the Liberal Party, which became part of the Alliance, finally New Zealand First in 1992–93
3. ^ Winston Peters had been an Independent since the 1993 by-election.
4. ^ Albiston was first on election night for Waitaki, but lost when special votes were included
5. ^ Campion became an Independent on 3 March 1993

## Changes during 44th Parliament

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There was one by-election held during the term of the 44th Parliament.

By-elections during 44th Parliament Electorate and by-election | Date | Incumbent | Cause | Winner

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Selwyn | 1994 | 13 August  |  | Ruth Richardson | Resignation  |  | David Carter

### Summary of changes during term

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Governmental arrangements during the 44th Parliament Period  | Government  | Confidence and supply

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1993–1994  | National |  |
1994  | National-Right of Centre |  |  |
1994–1995  | Future New Zealand |  |  |
1995  | United NZ, Christian Democrat |  |  |  |
1995–1996  | National-United NZ | Christian Democrat, Conservative, Independent |  |  |  |  |

* Ruth Richardson, the National Party MP for Selwyn, quit Parliament in August 1994, having been replaced as Minister of Finance the previous year. Her departure prompted a by-election in Selwyn, which was won by David Carter of the National Party.
* Peter Dunne, the Labour Party MP for Onslow, left his party in October 1994, believing that Labour was becoming increasingly left-wing. He was an independent for a time before founding the small Future New Zealand party. He would later join with United (see below).
* Ross Meurant, the National Party MP for Hobson, left his party in September 1994, having clashed on a number of issues with the party's leadership. He eventually established the Right of Centre party.
* Graeme Lee, the National Party MP for Matakana, left his party in 1994, partly due to policy disputes with its leadership and partly due to having lost his Cabinet post in a reshuffle. He founded a new party which eventually became the Christian Democrat Party.
* Trevor Rogers, the National Party MP for Howick, left his party in June 1995, after disputes regarding policy issues with the party's leadership. He joined Ross Meurant's new party.
* A group of centrist MPs from both the National Party and the Labour Party, along with Peter Dunne and his Future New Zealand party, established a centrist party named United New Zealand in June 1995. The MPs who founded United were Margaret Austin, Bruce Cliffe, Peter Dunne, Clive Matthewson, Pauline Gardiner, Peter Hilt, and John Robertson.
* Ross Meurant, founder of Right of Centre, came into conflict with his own party (now renamed the Conservatives) in February 1996, and left the party to become an independent again. Trevor Rogers, the sole remaining MP, became leader.
* Jack Elder, the Labour Party MP for Henderson, Peter McCardle, the National Party MP for Heretaunga, and Michael Laws, the National Party MP for Hawke's Bay, all left their parties to join New Zealand First in April 1996.
* Michael Laws, the New Zealand First (originally National) MP for Hawkes Bay, resigned from Parliament after the so-called "Antoinette Beck" controversy. Rather than hold a by-election, the Prime Minister simply brought the 1996 general election forward slightly, as the rules allow that if a general election is approaching, a vacant seat need not be filled immediately.

## Notes

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1. ^ "Bowen House - New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
2. ^ "New Zealand Elections 1972–1993". New Zealand Election Study. Retrieved 17 December 2011.[permanent dead link]

## References

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* Temple, Philip (1994). Temple's Guide to the 44th New Zealand Parliament. Dunedin: McIndoe Publishers. ISBN 0-86868-159-8.
* Part 1: Votes recorded at each polling place (Technical report). Chief Electoral Office. 1993.