# Deputy Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party

The deputy leader of the Labour Party is the second-most senior politician within the Labour Party in New Zealand. The officeholder deputises for the leader of the Labour Party at party-specific events. Unlike other political party leaders, the Labour Party's leader does not have the power to dismiss or appoint their deputy; both the leader and deputy are elected. In all cases where the leadership is vacant, the deputy leader shall also serve as acting leader until a new leadership election. When the Labour Party forms the Official Opposition the deputy leader typically serves as deputy leader of the Opposition.
Carmel Sepuloni is the current Deputy Leader, elected on 7 November 2023.

## History

The position of deputy leader of the New Zealand Labour Party was created in 1919, three years after the party's creation. The first holder, James McCombs, was bestowed the role after he lost the draw of lots to Harry Holland in the leadership election that year. It was not until 1974 that the party elected its first deputy to have been born in New Zealand, Bob Tizard. Prior to this, three deputy leaders had been born in Australia, two in England and one each in Ireland and Scotland. The Labour Party's longest-serving deputy leader, having served for 11 years, 4 months and 12 days between 1963 and 1974, was Hugh Watt.
To date, a total of seven deputy leaders have gone on to become the elected leader of the Labour Party (Savage, Fraser, Nash, Lange, Palmer, Clark and Ardern). Two deputy leaders have died in office (Skinner and Hackett).

## List of deputy leaders

The following is a complete list of Labour Party deputy leaders. Some deputies served concurrently as acting party leader.
| No. | Leader (Birth–Death) | Electorate | Term of Office | Term of Office | Leader |
| 1 | James McCombs (1873–1933) | Lyttelton | 27 August 1919 | 7 February 1923 | Holland |
| 2 | Michael Joseph Savage (1872–1940) | Auckland West | 7 February 1923 | 12 October 1933 | Holland |
| 3 | Peter Fraser (1884–1950) | Wellington Central | 12 October 1933 | 1 April 1940 | Savage |
| 4 | Walter Nash (1882–1968) | Hutt | 1 April 1940 | 17 January 1951 | Fraser |
| 5 | Jerry Skinner (1900–1962) | Buller | 17 January 1951 | 26 April 1962† | Nash |
| 6 | Fred Hackett (1901–1963) | Grey Lynn | 7 June 1962 | 19 March 1963† | Nash |
| 7 | Hugh Watt (1912–1980) | Onehunga | 29 April 1963 | 6 September 1974 | Nordmeyer |
| 7 | Hugh Watt (1912–1980) | Onehunga | 29 April 1963 | 6 September 1974 | Kirk |
| 8 | Bob Tizard (1924–2016) | Otahuhu | 10 September 1974 | 1 November 1979 | Rowling |
| 9 | David Lange (1942–2005) | Mangere | 1 November 1979 | 3 February 1983 | Rowling |
| 10 | Geoffrey Palmer (1942–) | Christchurch Central | 3 February 1983 | 8 August 1989 | Lange |
| 11 | Helen Clark (1950–) | Mount Albert | 8 August 1989 | 1 December 1993 | Palmer |
| 11 | Helen Clark (1950–) | Mount Albert | 8 August 1989 | 1 December 1993 | Moore |
| 12 | David Caygill (1948–) | St Albans | 1 December 1993 | 11 June 1996 | Clark |
| 13 | Michael Cullen (1945–2021) | Dunedin South | 11 June 1996 | 11 November 2008 | Clark |
| 14 | Annette King (1947–) | Rongotai | 11 November 2008 | 13 December 2011 | Goff |
| 15 | Grant Robertson (1971–) | Wellington Central | 13 December 2011 | 15 September 2013 | Shearer |
| 16 | David Parker (1960–) | List | 15 September 2013 | 18 November 2014 | Cunliffe |
| (14) | Annette King (1947–) | Rongotai | 18 November 2014 | 7 March 2017 | Little |
| 17 | Jacinda Ardern (1980–) | Mount Albert | 7 March 2017 | 1 August 2017 | Little |
| 18 | Kelvin Davis (1967–) | Te Tai Tokerau | 1 August 2017 | 7 November 2023 | Ardern |
| 18 | Kelvin Davis (1967–) | Te Tai Tokerau | 1 August 2017 | 7 November 2023 | Hipkins |
| 19 | Carmel Sepuloni (1977–) | Kelston | 7 November 2023 | Incumbent | Hipkins |