New Zealand general election, 1963
Encyclopedia
The 1963 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 34th term. The results were almost identical to those for the previous election
, and the governing National Party
remained in office.
had been won by the National Party
, beginning New Zealand's second period of National government. Keith Holyoake
, who had briefly been Prime Minister
at the end of the first period, returned to office. The elderly leader of the Labour Party, Walter Nash
, had agreed to step down following his government's defeat, but disliked the prospect of being succeeded by his Minister of Finance
, Arnold Nordmeyer
. Nash instead backed first Clarence (Gerry) Skinner
and then, after Skinner's death, Fred Hackett. In the end, however, Nordmeyer was victorious. Nordmeyer, however, was unpopular with the general public, being remembered with hostility for the tax hikes in his so-called 'Black Budget
'. Labour struggled to overcome this negative perception of its leader, and was only partially successful.
was 89.6%. This turnout was around average for the time. The number of seats being contested was 80, a number which had been fixed since 1902.
retain office by a ten-seat margin. It had previously held office by a twelve-seat margin. National won a total of forty-five seats, while the Labour Party
won thirty-five. In the popular vote, National won 47.1% to Labour's 43.7%. The Social Credit Party
won 7.9% of the vote, but no seats. Four of their candidates also missed the nomination deadline.
New Zealand general election, 1960
The 1960 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 33rd term. It saw the governing Labour Party defeated by the National Party, putting an end to the short second Labour government.-Background:...
, and the governing National Party
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
remained in office.
Background
The 1960 electionsNew Zealand general election, 1960
The 1960 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 33rd term. It saw the governing Labour Party defeated by the National Party, putting an end to the short second Labour government.-Background:...
had been won by the National Party
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
, beginning New Zealand's second period of National government. Keith Holyoake
Keith Holyoake
Sir Keith Jacka Holyoake, KG, GCMG, CH, QSO, KStJ was a New Zealand politician. The only person to have been both Prime Minister and Governor-General of New Zealand, Holyoake was National Party Prime Minister from 20 September 1957 to 12 December 1957, then again from 12 December 1960 to 7...
, who had briefly been Prime Minister
Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
at the end of the first period, returned to office. The elderly leader of the Labour Party, Walter Nash
Walter Nash
Sir Walter Nash, GCMG, CH served as the 27th Prime Minister of New Zealand in the Second Labour Government from 1957 to 1960, and was also highly influential in his role as Minister of Finance...
, had agreed to step down following his government's defeat, but disliked the prospect of being succeeded by his Minister of Finance
Minister of Finance (New Zealand)
The Minister of Finance is a senior figure within the government of New Zealand. The position is often considered to be the most important Cabinet role after that of the Prime Minister....
, Arnold Nordmeyer
Arnold Nordmeyer
Sir Arnold Henry Nordmeyer, ONZ, KCMG , born Heinrich Arnold Nordmeyer, was a New Zealand politician. He was leader of the Labour Party for three years while it was in Opposition.-Early life:...
. Nash instead backed first Clarence (Gerry) Skinner
Clarence Skinner (politician)
Clarence Farrington Skinner, MC, was a Labour politician from New Zealand, former Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand and a Minister 1943 – 1949 and 1957 – 1960 in the First and Second Labour governments.-Personal information:Skinner was in the New Zealand Army in the Middle East in World War...
and then, after Skinner's death, Fred Hackett. In the end, however, Nordmeyer was victorious. Nordmeyer, however, was unpopular with the general public, being remembered with hostility for the tax hikes in his so-called 'Black Budget
Black Budget (New Zealand)
In New Zealand, the term Black Budget refers to the government budget of 26 June 1958 in which Finance Minister Arnold Nordmeyer increased taxes on beer, tobacco, cars and petrol.The second Labour government took office in 1957, the 32nd Parliament...
'. Labour struggled to overcome this negative perception of its leader, and was only partially successful.
The election
The date for the main 1963 elections was 30 November. 1,345,836 people were registered to vote, and turnoutVoter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
was 89.6%. This turnout was around average for the time. The number of seats being contested was 80, a number which had been fixed since 1902.
Results
The 1963 election saw the governing National PartyNew Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
retain office by a ten-seat margin. It had previously held office by a twelve-seat margin. National won a total of forty-five seats, while the Labour Party
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
won thirty-five. In the popular vote, National won 47.1% to Labour's 43.7%. The Social Credit Party
Social Credit Party (New Zealand)
The New Zealand Social Credit Party was a political party which served as the country's "third party" from the 1950s through into the 1980s. The party held a number of seats in the New Zealand Parliament, although never more than two at a time...
won 7.9% of the vote, but no seats. Four of their candidates also missed the nomination deadline.
| Party | Leader | Votes | Percentage | Seats won | change | |
| National New Zealand National Party The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:... |
Keith Holyoake Keith Holyoake Sir Keith Jacka Holyoake, KG, GCMG, CH, QSO, KStJ was a New Zealand politician. The only person to have been both Prime Minister and Governor-General of New Zealand, Holyoake was National Party Prime Minister from 20 September 1957 to 12 December 1957, then again from 12 December 1960 to 7... |
563,875 | 47.1% | 45 | -1 | |
| Labour New Zealand Labour Party The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935.... |
Arnold Nordmeyer Arnold Nordmeyer Sir Arnold Henry Nordmeyer, ONZ, KCMG , born Heinrich Arnold Nordmeyer, was a New Zealand politician. He was leader of the Labour Party for three years while it was in Opposition.-Early life:... |
524,066 | 43.7% | 35 | +1 | |
| Social Credit Social Credit Party (New Zealand) The New Zealand Social Credit Party was a political party which served as the country's "third party" from the 1950s through into the 1980s. The party held a number of seats in the New Zealand Parliament, although never more than two at a time... |
Vernon Cracknell Vernon Cracknell Vernon Francis Cracknell was a New Zealand politician. Initially working as an accountant, he became involved in politics through the Social Credit Party, a group dedicated to the social credit theory of monetary reform... |
95,176 | 7.9% | 0 | ||
| Liberal Party New Zealand Liberal Party (1962) The New Zealand Liberal Party of 1962, an historic laissez-faire Liberal Party, was formed to stand in the 1963 New Zealand general election.“At one time seemed to have two wings, one in Auckland and one in Christchurch, but before polling day these were united under Mr. R.M. Hutton-Potts, a... |
10,339 | 0.9% | 0 | |||
| Communist Communist Party of New Zealand The Communist Party of New Zealand was a Communist political party in New Zealand from the 1920s to the early 1990s. It never achieved significant political success, and no longer exists as an independent group, although the Socialist Worker organisation is considered organisationally continuous... |
3,167 | 0.3% | 0 | |||
| Others (including independents Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... ) |
1,422 | 0.1 | 0 | |||
| National re-elected | 1,196,631 | 100% | 80 | |||