The 1975 New Zealand general election was held on 29 November to elect MPs to the 38th session of the New Zealand Parliament. It was the first general election in New Zealand where 18- to 20-year-olds[1] and all permanent residents of New Zealand were eligible to vote, although only citizens were able to be elected.
Following the sudden death of Labour leader Kirk, the party was led by Bill Rowling, a leader who was characterised as being weak and ineffectual by some political commentators. Labour's central campaign was the so-called "Citizens for Rowling" petition which attacked National leader Robert Muldoon's forthright leadership style. This campaign was largely seen as having backfired on Labour.
The National Party responded with the formation of "Rob's Mob". As former Minister of Finance in the previous National government, Muldoon focused on the economic impact of Labour's policies; National's campaign advertising suggested that Labour's recently introduced compulsory personal superannuation scheme would result in the government owning the New Zealand economy by using the worker's money, akin to a communist state. Muldoon argued that his New Zealand superannuation scheme could be funded from future taxes rather than an additional tax on current wages.
In July 1974, Muldoon as opposition leader had promised to cut immigration and to "get tough" on law and order issues. He criticised the Labour government's immigration policies for contributing to the economic recession and a housing shortage which undermined the New Zealand "way of life".
During the 1975 general elections, the National Party had also played an electoral advertisement that was later criticized for stoking negative racial sentiments about Polynesian migrants.[3]
The final results saw National win 55 seats, and Labour 32 seats. Thus Robert Muldoon replaced Bill Rowling as Prime Minister, ending the term of the Third Labour government, and beginning the term of the Third National government. The party seat numbers were an exact opposite of the 1972 election. No minor parties won seats, though the election saw the best ever result for New Zealand's first green political party, Values. There were 1,953,050 electors on the roll, with 1,603,733 (82.11%) voting.
While Muldoon would be re-elected twice, this would be the only time between 1969 and 1990 that National polled more votes than Labour.
^Coughlan, Thomas (21 October 2023). "Thomas Coughlan: Labour's soul searching begins as drums beat for David Parker challenge". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
^National Party advertisement(documentary). TVNZ Television New Zealand, Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. 1975.
^"Labour candidates". The Press. Vol. CXIV, no. 33668. 18 October 1974. p. 1.
^"Mr Watt not to stand". The Press. Vol. CXV, no. 33875. 21 June 1975. p. 3.
^"Historical Pollling Data 1974–2021". Patrick Leyland. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
^Calderwood, David (2010). Not a Fair Go: A History and Analysis of Social Credit's Struggle for Success in New Zealand's Electoral System(PDF) (MA). University of Waikato. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
^"Poll shows National lead". The Press. Vol. CXV, no. 33979. 21 October 1975. p. 20.
Gustafson, Barry (1986). The First 50 Years : A History of the New Zealand National Party. Auckland: Reed Methuen. ISBN0-474-00177-6.
Levine, Stephen; Lodge, Juliet (1976). The New Zealand General Election of 1975. Wellington: Price Milburn for New Zealand University Press. ISBN0-7055-0624-X.
Norton, Clifford (1988). New Zealand Parliamentary Election Results 1946-1987: Occasional Publications No 1, Department of Political Science. Wellington: Victoria University of Wellington. ISBN0-475-11200-8.
Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
External linksedit
Mr Nathan the National candidate for Island Bay below a defaced poster (photo)
November 25, 2023
1975, zealand, general, election, held, november, elect, 38th, session, zealand, parliament, first, general, election, zealand, where, year, olds, permanent, residents, zealand, were, eligible, vote, although, only, citizens, were, able, elected, 1972, novembe. The 1975 New Zealand general election was held on 29 November to elect MPs to the 38th session of the New Zealand Parliament It was the first general election in New Zealand where 18 to 20 year olds 1 and all permanent residents of New Zealand were eligible to vote although only citizens were able to be elected 1975 New Zealand general election 1972 29 November 1975 1975 11 29 1978 elected members 87 seats in the Parliament44 seats needed for a majority First party Second party Leader Robert Muldoon Bill RowlingParty National LabourLeader since 9 July 1974 6 September 1974Leader s seat Tamaki TasmanLast election 32 seats 41 5 55 seats 48 4 Seats won 55 32Seat change 23 23Popular vote 763 136 634 453Percentage 47 6 39 6 Swing 6 1 8 8 Results of the election Prime Minister before electionBill RowlingLabour Subsequent Prime Minister Robert MuldoonNationalThe National Party led by Rob Muldoon won 55 of the 87 seats over the Labour Party led by Bill Rowling in a landslide The election saw the defeat of the Third Labour Government after only three years in office and the formation of the Third National Government As of 2023 this is the most recent election where a government was voted out after one term Contents 1 Background 1 1 MPs retiring in 1975 2 Opinion polling 3 Results 3 1 Votes summary 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksBackground editThe incumbent Labour Party s decline in popularity during the previous term had as factors the death of its leader Norman Kirk economic decline triggered by the United Kingdom s accession to the European Communities most importantly the European Economic Community EEC and the 1973 oil crisis 2 Following the sudden death of Labour leader Kirk the party was led by Bill Rowling a leader who was characterised as being weak and ineffectual by some political commentators Labour s central campaign was the so called Citizens for Rowling petition which attacked National leader Robert Muldoon s forthright leadership style This campaign was largely seen as having backfired on Labour The National Party responded with the formation of Rob s Mob As former Minister of Finance in the previous National government Muldoon focused on the economic impact of Labour s policies National s campaign advertising suggested that Labour s recently introduced compulsory personal superannuation scheme would result in the government owning the New Zealand economy by using the worker s money akin to a communist state Muldoon argued that his New Zealand superannuation scheme could be funded from future taxes rather than an additional tax on current wages In July 1974 Muldoon as opposition leader had promised to cut immigration and to get tough on law and order issues He criticised the Labour government s immigration policies for contributing to the economic recession and a housing shortage which undermined the New Zealand way of life During the 1975 general elections the National Party had also played an electoral advertisement that was later criticized for stoking negative racial sentiments about Polynesian migrants 3 The campaign also achieved notoriety due to an infamous television commercial featuring Dancing Cossacks which was produced by Hanna Barbera on behalf of National s ad agency Colenso 4 A consummate orator and a skilled television performer Muldoon s powerful presence on screen increased his popularity with voters 5 MPs retiring in 1975 edit Four National MPs and Three Labour MPs intended to retire at the end of the 37th Parliament Party Name Electorate Term of office Date announcedNational Percy Allen Bay of Plenty 1957 75 before 20 August 1974 6 Logan Sloane Hobson 1960 661969 75 22 April 1974 7 Sir Jack Marshall Karori 1946 75 20 December 1974 8 Douglas Carter Raglan 1957 78 5 August 1974 9 Labour Norman Douglas Auckland Central 1960 75 16 October 1974 10 Ethel McMillan Dunedin North 1953 75 17 October 1974 11 Hugh Watt Onehunga 1953 75 20 June 1975 12 Opinion polling edit nbsp 13 14 15 Poll Date nb 1 National Labour Social Credit Values Lead1975 election result 29 Nov 1975 47 59 39 56 7 43 5 19 8 03NRB Nov 1975 46 44 6 4 2TVNZ Heylen Nov 1975 44 43 7 5 1NRB Sep 1975 52 39 5 4 13TVNZ Heylen Sep 1975 51 42 5 3 9TVNZ Heylen Jul 1975 50 42 5 3 8NRB Jul 1975 51 40 5 4 11TVNZ Heylen May 1975 49 42 5 4 7NRB Mar 1975 46 42 6 6 4TVNZ Heylen Feb 1975 48 46 5 2 2NRB Nov 1974 44 44 7 4 TieTVNZ Heylen Sep 1974 45 47 5 3 2NRB Sep 1974 40 50 5 4 10N A 31 August 1974 Death of Prime Minister Norman Kirk Bill Rowling Becomes Prime MinisterNRB May 1974 44 44 5 5 TieNRB Nov 1973 44 47 6 1 3NRB May 1973 39 51 5 1 121972 election result 25 Nov 1972 41 50 48 37 6 65 1 96 6 87Results edit nbsp Celebrating on election nightThe final results saw National win 55 seats and Labour 32 seats Thus Robert Muldoon replaced Bill Rowling as Prime Minister ending the term of the Third Labour government and beginning the term of the Third National government The party seat numbers were an exact opposite of the 1972 election No minor parties won seats though the election saw the best ever result for New Zealand s first green political party Values There were 1 953 050 electors on the roll with 1 603 733 82 11 voting While Muldoon would be re elected twice this would be the only time between 1969 and 1990 that National polled more votes than Labour Notable electorate results included the election of two Maori MPs to general seats the first time that any Maori had been elected to a non Maori electorate since James Carroll in 1893 The MPs in question were Ben Couch in Wairarapa and Rex Austin in Awarua In Palmerston North and Western Hutt Labour was first on election night but lost when special votes were counted nbsp Party Candidates Total votes Percentage Seats won ChangeNational 87 763 136 47 59 55 23Labour 87 634 453 39 56 32 23Social Credit 87 119 147 7 43 0 0Values 87 83 241 5 19 0 0Socialist Unity 15 408 0 03 0 0National Socialist 1 19 0 00 0Independent 67 3 756 0 23 0 0Total 415 1 603 733 87 Votes summary edit Popular VoteNational 47 59 Labour 39 56 Social Credit 7 43 Values 5 19 Independents 0 23 Parliament seatsNational 63 22 Labour 36 78 The table below shows the results of the 1975 general election Key National Labour Social Credit Electorate results for the 1975 New Zealand general election 16 Electorate Incumbent Winner Majority Runner upGeneral electoratesAuckland Central Norman Douglas Richard Prebble 289 Murray McCullyAvon Mary Batchelor 5 503 Tom GeorgeAwarua Aubrey Begg Rex Austin 2 150 Aubrey BeggBay of Plenty Percy Allen Duncan MacIntyre 3 960 Robert Frederick McKeeBirkenhead Norman King Jim McLay 2 816 Norman KingChristchurch Central Bruce Barclay 2 973 Tim ArmitageClutha Peter Gordon 4 735 F A O ConnellCoromandel Leo Schultz 4 724 Raymond C BradleyDunedin Central Brian MacDonell 1 428 Ian BrightDunedin North Ethel McMillan Richard Walls 958 Brian ArnoldEast Coast Bays Frank Gill 5 594 Rex StantonEden Mike Moore Aussie Malcolm 1 331 Mike MooreEgmont Venn Young 4 120 Dennis DugganFranklin Bill Birch 7 605 Ron Ng WaishingGisborne Trevor Davey Bob Bell 1 321 Trevor DaveyGrey Lynn Eddie Isbey 2 839 Jens MederHamilton East Rufus Rogers Ian Shearer 2 246 Rufus RogersHamilton West Dorothy Jelicich Mike Minogue 2 069 Dorothy JelicichHastings Richard Mayson Bob Fenton 491 Richard MaysonHawkes Bay Richard Harrison 3 805 David ButcherHenderson Martyn Finlay 401 Warren AdamsHeretaunga Ron Bailey 336 Julie Cameron 17 Hobson Logan Sloane Neill Austin 4 101 Howard Manning nb 2 Hutt Trevor Young 1 019 Brett NewellInvercargill J B Munro Norman Jones 2 533 J B MunroIsland Bay Gerald O Brien 1 274 Bill NathanKapiti Frank O Flynn Barry Brill 2 222 Frank O FlynnKarori Jack Marshall Hugh Templeton 4 830 Margaret ShieldsKing Country Jim Bolger 4 316 Thomas VarnamLyttelton Tom McGuigan Colleen Dewe 999 Tom McGuiganManawatu Allan McCready 2 918 Alan Charles EylesMangere Colin Moyle 1 604 Stanley LawsonManukau Roger Douglas 678 Brian LeamingManurewa Phil Amos Merv Wellington 1 358 Phil AmosMarlborough Ian Brooks Ed Latter 3 010 Ian BrooksMiramar Bill Young 1 749 John WybrowMt Albert Warren Freer 247 Frank RyanNapier Gordon Christie 931 John IslesNelson Stan Whitehead 1 093 Ian McWhannelNew Lynn Jonathan Hunt 890 Barry O ConnorNew Plymouth Ron Barclay Tony Friedlander 1 935 Ron BarclayNorth Shore George Gair 5 247 Wyn HoadleyOamaru Bill Laney Jonathan Elworthy 2 196 Bill LaneyOnehunga Hugh Watt Frank Rogers 1 044 Kevin O BrienOtago Central Ian Quigley Warren Cooper 2 371 Ian QuigleyOtahuhu Bob Tizard 3 785 Lois MorrisPahiatua Keith Holyoake 6 769 Paul ThornicroftPakuranga Gavin Downie 7 016 Geoff BraybrookePalmerston North Joe Walding John Lithgow 142 Joe WaldingPapanui Bert Walker 2 985 Rod GardenPetone Fraser Colman 2 834 Brel GluyasPiako Jack Luxton 6 174 Helen ClarkPorirua Gerry Wall 2 265 Ross DoughtyRaglan Douglas Carter Marilyn Waring 3 756 Bill PickeringRakaia Colin McLachlan 5 237 Graeme LowrieRangiora Kerry Burke Derek Quigley 1 386 Kerry BurkeRangitikei Roy Jack 1 756 Bruce BeethamRemuera Allan Highet 8 656 G B MeadRiccarton Eric Holland 4 766 Don JohnsonRodney Peter Wilkinson 7 817 John PrebbleRoskill Arthur Faulkner 530 John Maurice Priestley 18 Rotorua Harry Lapwood 3 605 Peter TapsellRuahine Les Gandar 2 763 Rex WillingSt Albans Roger Drayton 1 570 Prudence RotherbergSt Kilda Bill Fraser 1 890 Gordon HeslopSouth Canterbury Rob Talbot 4 301 Neville LambertStratford David Thomson 5 667 P P HopkinsSydenham John Kirk 3 817 Paul MathesonTamaki Robert Muldoon 6 735 Tim KayeTasman Bill Rowling 529 Peter MaloneTaupo Jack Ridley Ray La Varis 1 614 Jack RidleyTauranga Keith Allen 4 843 Richard HendryTimaru Sir Basil Arthur 1 011 Dave WalkerWaikato Lance Adams Schneider 7 073 Brian WestWairarapa Jack Williams Ben Couch 1 468 Jack WilliamsWaitemata Michael Bassett Dail Jones 1 385 Michael BassettWallace Brian Talboys 6 978 Ian LamontWanganui Russell Marshall 1 244 John RowanWellington Central Ken Comber 1 076 David ShandWest Coast Paddy Blanchfield 2 401 Barry DallasWestern Hutt Henry May Bill Lambert 109 Henry May nb 3 Whangarei Murray Smith John Elliott 2 710 Murray SmithWigram Mick Connelly 1 967 Neil RussellMaori electoratesEastern Maori Paraone Reweti 6 261 Monty SearanckeNorthern Maori Matiu Rata 4 151 Winston PetersSouthern Maori Whetu Tirikatene Sullivan 6 452 Willard AmaruWestern Maori Koro Wetere 8 925 Emerson Studholme RangiTable footnotes These are the survey dates of the poll or if the survey dates are not stated the date the poll was released David Lange came third for Labour in Hobson Henry May was first on election night but lost when special votes were includedNotes edit Levine amp Lodge 1976 p Coughlan Thomas 21 October 2023 Thomas Coughlan Labour s soul searching begins as drums beat for David Parker challenge The New Zealand Herald Retrieved 23 October 2023 National Party advertisement documentary TVNZ Television New Zealand Te Ara The Encyclopedia of New Zealand 1975 Dancing Cossacks political TV ad Ministry for Culture and Heritage 23 August 2013 Retrieved 3 February 2014 Atkinson 2003 pp 188f Mr MacIntyre nominated The Press Vol CXIV no 33618 21 August 1974 p 2 Retirement of M P The Press Vol CXIV no 33516 23 April 1974 p 3 Sir John Marshall to end political career next year The Press Vol CXIV no 33723 21 December 1974 p 2 Raglan M P to retire The Press Vol CXIV no 33606 7 August 1974 p 14 Last Term for Mr Douglas The New Zealand Herald 18 October 1974 p 1 Labour candidates The Press Vol CXIV no 33668 18 October 1974 p 1 Mr Watt not to stand The Press Vol CXV no 33875 21 June 1975 p 3 Historical Pollling Data 1974 2021 Patrick Leyland Retrieved 31 July 2021 Calderwood David 2010 Not a Fair Go A History and Analysis of Social Credit s Struggle for Success in New Zealand s Electoral System PDF MA University of Waikato Retrieved 27 September 2021 Poll shows National lead The Press Vol CXV no 33979 21 October 1975 p 20 Norton 1988 pp Gustafson 1986 p 358 Gustafson 1986 p 382 References editAtkinson Neill 2003 Adventures in Democracy A History of the Vote in New Zealand Dunedin University of Otago Press Chapman George 1980 The Years of Lightning Wellington AH amp AW Reed ISBN 0 589 01346 7 Gustafson Barry 1986 The First 50 Years A History of the New Zealand National Party Auckland Reed Methuen ISBN 0 474 00177 6 Levine Stephen Lodge Juliet 1976 The New Zealand General Election of 1975 Wellington Price Milburn for New Zealand University Press ISBN 0 7055 0624 X Norton Clifford 1988 New Zealand Parliamentary Election Results 1946 1987 Occasional Publications No 1 Department of Political Science Wellington Victoria University of Wellington ISBN 0 475 11200 8 Wilson James Oakley 1985 First published in 1913 New Zealand Parliamentary Record 1840 1984 4th ed Wellington V R Ward Govt Printer OCLC 154283103 External links editMr Nathan the National candidate for Island Bay below a defaced poster photo Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1975 New Zealand general election amp oldid 1183911870, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
