NEW ZEALAND: parliamentary elections House of Representatives, 1999

NEW ZEALAND
Parliamentary Chamber: House of Representatives

ELECTIONS HELD IN 1999

<<< Return to the Historical Archive page of parliamentary election results for NEW ZEALAND <<<

Chamber:

House of Representatives

Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):

27 November 1999

Purpose of elections:

Elections were held for all the seats in Parliament on the normal expiry of the members' term of office.

Background and outcome of elections:

Following the previous general elections of October 1996, Mrs. Jenny Shipley (National Party - NP) had replaced Mr. Jim Bolger as Prime Minister and head of the minority government in December 1997.
In the battle for the 120 seats in the House of Representatives, the NP was mainly challenged, as before, by the Labour Party, (NZLP), this time led by Mrs. Helen Clark. Campaign debates focussed on the country's economy amid the good news that the unemployment rate had fallen and retail sales risen. Both sides focused on tax policy, with the conservative NP favoring tax cuts and the opposition parties supporting higher levies on the wealthy and an increase in government intervention and state spending, especially on health and education. Mrs. Shipley countered that tax hikes would stunt economic growth, pledging that if her party were returned she would deliver 4% annual growth and create more than 100,000 new jobs. For its part, Labour's partner Alliance, led by Mr. Jim Anderton, backed higher taxes and import tariffs to raise funding for increased social spending and pledged, as the NZLP, to distribute wealth more fairly in the country.
On polling day, Labour scored a clear victory over its chief rival but fell short of an absolute House majority even with Alliance's total. The two emerged with 59 seats but won the support of the Greens (7 seats) led by Ms. Jeanette Fitzsimons, who vowed to support the centre-left coalition on confidence motions and supply (appropriation) bills. In this context, Mrs. Clark became Prime Minister at the head of a 20-member Cabinet which was sworn in on 10 December. As a result, the NP moved to the opposition ranks for the first time since 1990.

STATISTICS

Round no 1 (27 November 1999): Elections results

Number of registered electors 2 500 000

Voters 2 085 381 (83.1%)

Round no 1: Distribution of seats

Political Group Total Electorate Vote Seats Party Vote Seats

Labour Party 49 41 8

National Party 39 22 17

Act New Zealand 9 0 9

Greens 7 1 6

New Zealand First 5 1 4

United New Zealand 1 1 0

Distribution of seats according to sex:

Men: 85

Women: 35

Percent of women: 29.17

<<< Return to the Historical Archive page of parliamentary election results for NEW ZEALAND <<<

Chamber:
	House of Representatives
Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):
	27 November 1999
Purpose of elections:
	Elections were held for all the seats in Parliament on the normal expiry of the members' term of office.
Background and outcome of elections:
	Following the previous general elections of October 1996, Mrs. Jenny Shipley (National Party - NP) had replaced Mr. Jim Bolger as Prime Minister and head of the minority government in December 1997. In the battle for the 120 seats in the House of Representatives, the NP was mainly challenged, as before, by the Labour Party, (NZLP), this time led by Mrs. Helen Clark. Campaign debates focussed on the country's economy amid the good news that the unemployment rate had fallen and retail sales risen. Both sides focused on tax policy, with the conservative NP favoring tax cuts and the opposition parties supporting higher levies on the wealthy and an increase in government intervention and state spending, especially on health and education. Mrs. Shipley countered that tax hikes would stunt economic growth, pledging that if her party were returned she would deliver 4% annual growth and create more than 100,000 new jobs. For its part, Labour's partner Alliance, led by Mr. Jim Anderton, backed higher taxes and import tariffs to raise funding for increased social spending and pledged, as the NZLP, to distribute wealth more fairly in the country. On polling day, Labour scored a clear victory over its chief rival but fell short of an absolute House majority even with Alliance's total. The two emerged with 59 seats but won the support of the Greens (7 seats) led by Ms. Jeanette Fitzsimons, who vowed to support the centre-left coalition on confidence motions and supply (appropriation) bills. In this context, Mrs. Clark became Prime Minister at the head of a 20-member Cabinet which was sworn in on 10 December. As a result, the NP moved to the opposition ranks for the first time since 1990.

Round no 1 (27 November 1999): Elections results
Number of registered electors	2 500 000
Voters	2 085 381 (83.1%)

Round no 1: Distribution of seats
Political Group	Total	Electorate Vote Seats	Party Vote Seats
Labour Party	49	41	8
National Party	39	22	17
Act New Zealand	9	0	9
Greens	7	1	6
New Zealand First	5	1	4
United New Zealand	1	1	0

Distribution of seats according to sex:
Men:	85
Women:	35
Percent of women:	29.17