New Zealand Labour Party leadership election, 1965

New Zealand Labour Party leadership election, 1965

9 December 1965

Candidate Norman Kirk Arnold Nordmeyer Leader's seat Lyttelton Island Bay Popular vote 25 10 Percentage 71.4% 28.6%

Leader before election Arnold Nordmeyer Leader Norman Kirk

The New Zealand Labour Party leadership election, 1965 was held on 9 December 1965 to determine the future leadership of the New Zealand Labour Party. The election was won by Lyttelton MP Norman Kirk.

Background

After Walter Nash retired as leader in 1963 Arnold Nordmeyer became Labour's 5th leader despite holding considerable public blame for Labour's loss of support after the "Black Budget.^[1] The memory of the "Black Budget" still plagued Nordmeyer's profile and many within the party believed that it was time for a fresh start. In 1965 a group of younger Labour MPs formed a group who became dedicated to replace Nordmeyer with Kirk, becoming known as the "Mafia".

Candidates

Arnold Nordmeyer

Nordmeyer had led Labour since Nash's retirement nearly three years earlier. He led them in the 1963 election where Labour's vote increased slightly, but still did not perform well enough to win office. Some within Labour's caucus were of the opinion that Nordmeyer was too distant and out of touch with his colleagues and vice versa.^[2] The younger Norman Kirk eventually emerged as the favourite candidate to succeed Nordmeyer as leader.

Norman Kirk

Kirk first entered parliament in 1957. Gradually, he began to rise through Labour's internal hierarchy, becoming vice-president of the Party in 1963 and president in 1964.^[3] Other MPs often saw Kirk as a champion for ordinary New Zealanders via his working-class background at a time when ordinary voters saw many other politicians, such as Nordmeyer, out-of-touch and aloof.^[3]

Result

A caucus vote was held on 9 December 1965 where Nordmeyer was defeated by Kirk 25 votes to 10.^[1] Nordmeyer's deputy leader, Hugh Watt, retained his position despite the change in leadership receiving 25 votes against a combined total of 7 votes for the other two nominees.^[4]

Leadership ballot

Deputy-leadership ballot

How each MP voted

A list of each MP's vote.^[4][5]

Aftermath

Kirk's new enthusiastic leadership brought about a gradual rejuvenation in Labour's popularity. He suffered narrow election losses in 1966 and 1969 elections before finally winning office and becoming Prime Minister in 1972 election. Nordmeyer remained in Parliament for another four years, moving to the backbenches and becoming an elder statesman of the party. He retired at the 1969 election.^[1]

Notes

References

• Grant, David (2014). The Mighty Totara: The life and times of Norman Kirk. Auckland: Random House. ISBN 9781775535799. 
• Hayward, Margaret (1981). Diary of the Kirk Years. Auckland: Reed Publishing. ISBN 0589013505. 
• Freer, Warren (2004). A Lifetime in Politics: the memoirs of Warren Freer. Wellington: Victoria University Press. ISBN 0-86473-478-6. 
• Logan, Mary (2008) [First ed. published 2008]. Nordy, Arnold Nordmeyer a political biography (1 ed.). Wellington: Steele Roberts Publishers. ISBN 978-1-877448-33-1. 

Norman Kirk
6 January 1923 – 31 August 1974 Prime Minister of New Zealand (1972–74) • Leader of the Labour Party (1965–74) • Leader of the Opposition (1965–72)
Premiership	1972–74
General elections	1966 1969 1972
Constituencies	Lyttelton (1957-69) Sydenham (1969-74)
Family	Dame Ruth Kirk (wife) John Kirk (son)
Related articles	Electoral History Shadow Cabinet 1965 leadership election It's Time
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