1975 New Zealand general election

1975 New Zealand general election
elected members →
87 seats in the Parliament; 44 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	1,603,733 (82.11%)
	Results by electorate, shaded by winning margin
Prime Minister before election; Bill Rowling; Labour	Subsequent Prime Minister ; Robert Muldoon; National

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.

Quick Facts 87 seats in the Parliament 44 seats needed for a majority, Turnout ...

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The 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.

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The 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

Four National MPs and Three Labour MPs intended to retire at the end of the 37th Parliament:

More information Party, Name ...

Party		Name	Electorate	Term of office	Date announced
#00529F"}]]}">	National	Percy Allen	Bay of Plenty	1957–75	before 20 August 1974^[6]
		Logan Sloane	Hobson	1960–66 1969–75	22 April 1974^[7]
		Sir Jack Marshall	Karori	1946–75	20 December 1974^[8]
		Douglas Carter	Raglan	1957–75	5 August 1974^[9]
#D82A20"}]]}">	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]

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^[13]^[14]^[15]

More information Poll, Date ...

Poll	Date^{[nb 1]}	National	Labour	Socred	Values	Lead
Poll	Date^{[nb 1]}	#00529F; width:60px;"}]]}">	#D82A20; width:60px;"}]]}">	#CBE800; width:60px;"}]]}">	#4BB805; width:60px;"}]]}">
1975 election result	29 Nov 1975	47.59	39.56	7.43	5.19	8.03
NRB	Nov 1975	46	44	6	4	2
TVNZ Heylen	Nov 1975	44	43	7	5	1
NRB	Sep 1975	52	39	5	4	13
TVNZ Heylen	Sep 1975	51	42	5	3	9
TVNZ Heylen	Jul 1975	50	42	5	3	8
NRB	Jul 1975	51	40	5	4	11
TVNZ Heylen	May 1975	49	42	5	4	7
NRB	Mar 1975	46	42	6	6	4
TVNZ Heylen	Feb 1975	48	46	5	2	2
NRB	Nov 1974	44	44	7	4	Tie
TVNZ Heylen	Sep 1974	45	47	5	3	2
NRB	Sep 1974	40	50	5	4	10
N/A	31 August 1974	Death of Prime Minister Norman Kirk, Bill Rowling Becomes Prime Minister
NRB	May 1974	44	44	5	5	Tie
NRB	Nov 1973	44	47	6	1	3
NRB	May 1973	39	51	5	1	12
1972 election result	25 Nov 1972	41.50	48.37	6.65	1.96	6.87

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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.

Notable electorate results included the election of two Māori MPs to general seats; the first time that any Māori had been elected to a non-Māori 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.

More information Party, Candidates ...


Party		Candidates	Total votes	Percentage	Seats won	Change
	National	87	763,136	47.59	55	+23
	Labour	87	634,453	39.56	32	-23
	Social Credit	87	119,147	7.43	0	±0
	Values	87	83,241	5.19	0	±0
	Socialist Unity	15	408	0.03	0	±0
	National Socialist	1	19	0.00	-	±0
	Independent	67	3,756	0.23	0	±0
	Total	415	1,603,733		87

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Votes summary

More information Popular Vote ...

Popular Vote

National			47.59%
Labour			39.56%
Social Credit			7.43%
Values			5.19%
Independents			0.23%

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More information Parliament seats ...

Parliament seats

National			63.22%
Labour			36.78%

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The table below shows the results of the 1975 general election:

Key

National Labour Social Credit

More information Electorate, Incumbent ...

Electorate results for the 1975 New Zealand general election^[16]
Electorate			Majority
General electorates
Auckland Central	Norman Douglas	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Richard Prebble	289	Murray McCully
Avon	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Mary Batchelor		5,503	Tom George
Awarua	Aubrey Begg	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Rex Austin	2,150	Aubrey Begg
Bay of Plenty	Percy Allen	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Duncan MacIntyre	3,960	Robert Frederick McKee
Birkenhead	Norman King	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Jim McLay	2,816	Norman King
Christchurch Central	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Bruce Barclay		2,973	Tim Armitage
Clutha	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Peter Gordon		4,735	F A O'Connell
Coromandel	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Leo Schultz		4,724	Raymond C. Bradley
Dunedin Central	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Brian MacDonell		1,428	Ian Bright
Dunedin North	Ethel McMillan	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Richard Walls	958	Brian Arnold
East Coast Bays	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Frank Gill		5,594	Rex Stanton
Eden	Mike Moore	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Aussie Malcolm	1,331	Mike Moore
Egmont	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Venn Young		4,120	Dennis Duggan
Franklin	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Bill Birch		7,605	Ron Ng-Waishing
Gisborne	Trevor Davey	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Bob Bell	1,321	Trevor Davey
Grey Lynn	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Eddie Isbey		2,839	Jens Meder
Hamilton East	Rufus Rogers	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Ian Shearer	2,246	Rufus Rogers
Hamilton West	Dorothy Jelicich	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Mike Minogue	2,069	Dorothy Jelicich
Hastings	Richard Mayson	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Bob Fenton	491	Richard Mayson
Hawkes Bay	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Richard Harrison		3,805	David Butcher
Henderson	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Martyn Finlay		401	Warren Adams
Heretaunga	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Ron Bailey		336	Julie Cameron^[17]
Hobson	Logan Sloane	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Neill Austin	4,101	Howard Manning^{[nb 2]}
Hutt	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Trevor Young		1,019	Brett Newell
Invercargill	J. B. Munro	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Norman Jones	2,533	J. B. Munro
Island Bay	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Gerald O'Brien		1,274	Bill Nathan
Kapiti	Frank O'Flynn	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Barry Brill	2,222	Frank O'Flynn
Karori	Jack Marshall	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Hugh Templeton	4,830	Margaret Shields
King Country	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Jim Bolger		4,316	Thomas Varnam
Lyttelton	Tom McGuigan	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Colleen Dewe	999	Tom McGuigan
Manawatu	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Allan McCready		2,918	Alan Charles Eyles
Mangere	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Colin Moyle		1,604	Stanley Lawson
Manukau	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Roger Douglas		678	Brian Leaming
Manurewa	Phil Amos	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Merv Wellington	1,358	Phil Amos
Marlborough	Ian Brooks	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Ed Latter	3,010	Ian Brooks
Miramar	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Bill Young		1,749	John Wybrow
Mt Albert	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Warren Freer		247	Frank Ryan
Napier	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Gordon Christie		931	John Isles
Nelson	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Stan Whitehead		1,093	Ian McWhannel
New Lynn	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Jonathan Hunt		890	Barry O'Connor
New Plymouth	Ron Barclay	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Tony Friedlander	1,935	Ron Barclay
North Shore	#CCDDFF"}]]}">George Gair		5,247	Wyn Hoadley
Oamaru	Bill Laney	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Jonathan Elworthy	2,196	Bill Laney
Onehunga	Hugh Watt	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Frank Rogers	1,044	Kevin O'Brien
Otago Central	Ian Quigley	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Warren Cooper	2,371	Ian Quigley
Otahuhu	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Bob Tizard		3,785	Lois Morris
Pahiatua	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Keith Holyoake		6,769	Paul Thornicroft
Pakuranga	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Gavin Downie		7,016	Geoff Braybrooke
Palmerston North	Joe Walding	#CCDDFF"}]]}">John Lithgow	142	Joe Walding
Papanui	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Bert Walker		2,985	Rod Garden
Petone	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Fraser Colman		2,834	Brel Gluyas
Piako	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Jack Luxton		6,174	Helen Clark
Porirua	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Gerry Wall		2,265	Ross Doughty
Raglan	Douglas Carter	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Marilyn Waring	3,756	Bill Pickering
Rakaia	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Colin McLachlan		5,237	Graeme Lowrie
Rangiora	Kerry Burke	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Derek Quigley	1,386	Kerry Burke
Rangitikei	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Roy Jack		1,756	Bruce Beetham
Remuera	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Allan Highet		8,656	G B Mead
Riccarton	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Eric Holland		4,766	Don Johnson
Rodney	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Peter Wilkinson		7,817	John Prebble
Roskill	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Arthur Faulkner		530	John Maurice Priestley^[18]
Rotorua	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Harry Lapwood		3,605	Peter Tapsell
Ruahine	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Les Gandar		2,763	Rex Willing
St Albans	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Roger Drayton		1,570	Prudence Rotherberg
St Kilda	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Bill Fraser		1,890	Gordon Heslop
South Canterbury	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Rob Talbot		4,301	Neville Lambert
Stratford	#CCDDFF"}]]}">David Thomson		5,667	P P Hopkins
Sydenham	#FFBAA8"}]]}">John Kirk		3,817	Paul Matheson
Tamaki	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Robert Muldoon		6,735	Tim Kaye
Tasman	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Bill Rowling		529	Peter Malone
Taupo	Jack Ridley	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Ray La Varis	1,614	Jack Ridley
Tauranga	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Keith Allen		4,843	Richard Hendry
Timaru	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Sir Basil Arthur		1,011	Dave Walker
Waikato	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Lance Adams-Schneider		7,073	Brian West
Wairarapa	Jack Williams	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Ben Couch	1,468	Jack Williams
Waitemata	Michael Bassett	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Dail Jones	1,385	Michael Bassett
Wallace	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Brian Talboys		6,978	Ian Lamont
Wanganui	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Russell Marshall		1,244	John Rowan
Wellington Central	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Ken Comber		1,076	David Shand
West Coast	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Paddy Blanchfield		2,401	Barry Dallas
Western Hutt	Henry May	#CCDDFF"}]]}">Bill Lambert	109	Henry May^{[nb 3]}
Whangarei	Murray Smith	#CCDDFF"}]]}">John Elliott	2,710	Murray Smith
Wigram	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Mick Connelly		1,967	Neil Russell
Māori electorates
Eastern Maori	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Paraone Reweti		6,261	Monty Searancke
Northern Maori	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Matiu Rata		4,151	Winston Peters
Southern Maori	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan		6,452	Willard Amaru
Western Maori	#FFBAA8"}]]}">Koro Wētere		8,925	Emerson Studholme Rangi

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Table footnotes:

[N 1]
These are the survey dates of the poll, or if the survey dates are not stated, the date the poll was released.
[N 2]
David Lange came third for Labour in Hobson
[N 3]
Henry May was first on election night, but lost when special votes were included

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A number of local by-elections were required due to the resignations of incumbent local body politicians following the general election:

A by-election occurred for the Invercargill City Council after councillor Norman Jones resigned after being elected to parliament, prompting a by-election. Jones was replaced on the council by J. B. Munro, whom he defeated at the parliamentary election.^[19]
There was a by-election for Mayor of Hamilton. Mayor Mike Minogue resigned after he was elected as MP for Hamilton West. The by-election was win by leader of the Social Credit Party, Bruce Beetham, who had contested Rangitikei in 1975.^[20]

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[1]
Levine & Lodge 1976, p. ?.
[2]
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.
[3]
National Party advertisement (documentary). TVNZ Television New Zealand, Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. 1975.
[4]
"Dancing Cossacks political TV ad". Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 23 August 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
[5]
Atkinson 2003, pp. 188f.
[6]
"Mr MacIntyre nominated". The Press. Vol. CXIV, no. 33618. 21 August 1974. p. 2.
[7]
"Retirement of M.P." The Press. Vol. CXIV, no. 33516. 23 April 1974. p. 3.
[8]
"Sir John Marshall to end political career next year". The Press. Vol. CXIV, no. 33723. 21 December 1974. p. 2.
[9]
"Raglan M.P. to retire". The Press. Vol. CXIV, no. 33606. 7 August 1974. p. 14.
[10]
"Last Term for Mr Douglas". The New Zealand Herald. 18 October 1974. p. 1.
[11]
"Labour candidates". The Press. Vol. CXIV, no. 33668. 18 October 1974. p. 1.
[12]
"Mr Watt not to stand". The Press. Vol. CXV, no. 33875. 21 June 1975. p. 3.
[13]
"Historical Pollling Data 1974–2021". Patrick Leyland. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
[14]
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.
[15]
"Poll shows National lead". The Press. Vol. CXV, no. 33979. 21 October 1975. p. 20.
[16]
Norton 1988, pp. ?.
[17]
Gustafson 1986, p. 358.
[18]
Gustafson 1986, p. 382.
[19]
"Mr Munro gets seat in council". The Press. 17 April 1976. p. 16.
[20]
"Beetham stretches majority". The Times. 5 May 1976. p. 1.

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Atkinson, 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 & 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.

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Mr Nathan the National candidate for Island Bay below a defaced poster (photo)

[dates-16] [N 1]
These are the survey dates of the poll, or if the survey dates are not stated, the date the poll was released.

[19] [N 2]
David Lange came third for Labour in Hobson

[21] [N 3]
Henry May was first on election night, but lost when special votes were included

[FOOTNOTELevine_&_Lodge1976?-1] [1]
Levine & Lodge 1976, p. ?.

[2] [2]
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_advertisment-3] [3]
National Party advertisement (documentary). TVNZ Television New Zealand, Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. 1975.

[4] [4]
"Dancing Cossacks political TV ad". Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 23 August 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2014.

[FOOTNOTEAtkinson2003188f-5] [5]
Atkinson 2003, pp. 188f.

[6] [6]
"Mr MacIntyre nominated". The Press. Vol. CXIV, no. 33618. 21 August 1974. p. 2.

[7] [7]
"Retirement of M.P." The Press. Vol. CXIV, no. 33516. 23 April 1974. p. 3.

[8] [8]
"Sir John Marshall to end political career next year". The Press. Vol. CXIV, no. 33723. 21 December 1974. p. 2.

[9] [9]
"Raglan M.P. to retire". The Press. Vol. CXIV, no. 33606. 7 August 1974. p. 14.

[10] [10]
"Last Term for Mr Douglas". The New Zealand Herald. 18 October 1974. p. 1.

[11] [11]
"Labour candidates". The Press. Vol. CXIV, no. 33668. 18 October 1974. p. 1.

[12] [12]
"Mr Watt not to stand". The Press. Vol. CXV, no. 33875. 21 June 1975. p. 3.

[pollednz-13] [13]
"Historical Pollling Data 1974–2021". Patrick Leyland. Retrieved 31 July 2021.

[Not_a_Fair_Go-14] [14]
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.

[15] [15]
"Poll shows National lead". The Press. Vol. CXV, no. 33979. 21 October 1975. p. 20.

[FOOTNOTENorton1988?-17] [16]
Norton 1988, pp. ?.

[FOOTNOTEGustafson1986358-18] [17]
Gustafson 1986, p. 358.

[FOOTNOTEGustafson1986382-20] [18]
Gustafson 1986, p. 382.

[22] [19]
"Mr Munro gets seat in council". The Press. 17 April 1976. p. 16.

[23] [20]
"Beetham stretches majority". The Times. 5 May 1976. p. 1.

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[15]

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[20]

1975 New Zealand general election

MPs retiring in 1975

Votes summary

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Background

Opinion polling

Results

Post-election events

Notes

References

External links