# 37th New Zealand Parliament

The 37th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the New Zealand Parliament. It was elected at the 1972 general election on 25 November of that year.

## 1972 general election

The 1972 general election was held on Saturday, 25 November. A total of 87 MPs were elected; 58 represented North Island electorates, 25 represented South Island electorates, and the remaining four represented Māori electorates; this was an increase in the number of MPs by three since the 1969 election, and the gain was all for the North Island. 1,583,256 voters were enrolled and the official turnout at the election was 89.1%.

## Sessions

The 37th Parliament sat for three sessions, and was prorogued on 10 October 1975.
| Session | Opened | Adjourned |
| first | 14 February 1973 | 23 November 1973 |
| second | 4 February 1974 | 8 November 1974 |
| third | 25 March 1975 | 10 October 1975 |

## Ministries

The National Party, which had come to power at the 1960 election, was defeated by the Labour Party at the 1972 election. Norman Kirk formed the third Labour Government and led the Kirk Ministry until his sudden death on 31 August 1974. After Hugh Watt had been acting Prime Minister for the first few days of September 1974, Kirk was succeeded by Bill Rowling on 6 September. The Rowling Ministry lasted until the end of the parliamentary term, when the Labour Government was defeated by National in the 1975 election.

## Overview of seats

The table below shows the number of MPs in each party following the 1972 election and at dissolution:
| Affiliation | Affiliation | Members | Members |
| Affiliation | Affiliation | At 1972 election | At dissolution |
| | Labour Government | 55 | 55 |
| | National Opposition | 32 | 32 |
| Total | Total | 87 | 87 |
| Working Government majority | Working Government majority | 23 | 23 |
Notes
* The Working Government majority is calculated as all Government MPs less all other parties.

## Initial composition of the 37th Parliament

The table below shows the results of the 1972 general election:
Key
National  Labour  Social Credit  Independent
Electorate results for the 1972 New Zealand general election :
| Electorate | Incumbent | Incumbent | Winner | Winner | Majority | Runner up |
| General electorates ||||||||
| Auckland Central | | Norman Douglas | Norman Douglas | Norman Douglas | 2,009 | Clive Edwards |
| Avon | | John Mathison | | Mary Batchelor | 6,055 | Gordon Thomas |
| Awarua | | Hugh Templeton | | Aubrey Begg | 723 | Hugh Templeton |
| Bay of Plenty | | Percy Allen | Percy Allen | Percy Allen | 2,189 | G B Mead |
| Birkenhead | | Norman King | Norman King | Norman King | 1,533 | Don McKinnon |
| Christchurch Central | | Bruce Barclay | Bruce Barclay | Bruce Barclay | 5,103 | Barbara Beaven |
| Clutha | | Peter Gordon | Peter Gordon | Peter Gordon | 2,131 | Les McKay |
| Coromandel | New electorate | New electorate | | Leo Schultz | 2,181 | Alyson Murphy |
| Dunedin Central | | Brian MacDonell | Brian MacDonell | Brian MacDonell | 3,771 | Fred O'Neill |
| Dunedin North | | Ethel McMillan | Ethel McMillan | Ethel McMillan | 4,020 | John Wallis |
| East Coast Bays | New electorate | New electorate | | Frank Gill | 979 | Brian Pauling |
| Eden | | John Rae | | Mike Moore | 788 | Mary Kidd |
| Egmont | | Venn Young | Venn Young | Venn Young | 2,928 | Robert Logan Peck |
| Franklin | | Alfred E. Allen | | Bill Birch | 4,188 | Geoff Braybrooke |
| Gisborne | | Esme Tombleson | | Trevor Davey | 488 | Esme Tombleson |
| Grey Lynn | | Eddie Isbey | Eddie Isbey | Eddie Isbey | 5,487 | Jens Meder |
| Hamilton East | New electorate | New electorate | | Rufus Rogers | 397 | Ross Jansen |
| Hamilton West | | Leslie Munro | | Dorothy Jelicich | 544 | Derek Heather |
| Hastings | | Duncan MacIntyre | | Richard Mayson | 1,148 | Duncan MacIntyre |
| Hawkes Bay | | Richard Harrison | Richard Harrison | Richard Harrison | 600 | David Butcher |
| Henderson | | Martyn Finlay | Martyn Finlay | Martyn Finlay | 4,221 | Ross C. MacFarlane |
| Heretaunga | | Ron Bailey | Ron Bailey | Ron Bailey | 2,964 | John Schnellenberg |
| Hobson | | Logan Sloane | Logan Sloane | Logan Sloane | 1,148 | Howard Manning |
| Hutt | | Trevor Young | Trevor Young | Trevor Young | 3,397 | Michael Fowler |
| Invercargill | | John Chewings | | J. B. Munro | 765 | John Chewings |
| Island Bay | | Gerald O'Brien | Gerald O'Brien | Gerald O'Brien | 3,495 | Bruce Farland |
| Kapiti | New electorate | New electorate | | Frank O'Flynn | 706 | Barry Brill |
| Karori | | Jack Marshall | Jack Marshall | Jack Marshall | 4,408 | Adam Floyd |
| King Country | New electorate | New electorate | | Jim Bolger | 1,240 | Brent Clifton Sakey |
| Lyttelton | | Tom McGuigan | Tom McGuigan | Tom McGuigan | 3,235 | John Blumsky |
| Manawatu | | Les Gandar | | Allan McCready | 427 | Mervyn Hancock |
| Mangere | | Colin Moyle | Colin Moyle | Colin Moyle | 3,939 | Stanley Lawson |
| Manukau | | Roger Douglas | Roger Douglas | Roger Douglas | 2,844 | R O Price |
| Manurewa | | Phil Amos | Phil Amos | Phil Amos | 2,397 | Pat Baker |
| Marlborough | | Ian Brooks | Ian Brooks | Ian Brooks | 1,290 | Bruno Dalliessi |
| Miramar | | Bill Young | Bill Young | Bill Young | 434 | Brian Edwards |
| Mt Albert | | Warren Freer | Warren Freer | Warren Freer | 3,980 | John Malcolm |
| Napier | | Gordon Christie | Gordon Christie | Gordon Christie | 3,725 | Merle Bell |
| Nelson | | Stan Whitehead | Stan Whitehead | Stan Whitehead | 1,933 | Ian McWhannell |
| New Lynn | | Jonathan Hunt | Jonathan Hunt | Jonathan Hunt | 4,312 | Gordon McDermott |
| New Plymouth | | Ron Barclay | Ron Barclay | Ron Barclay | 1,296 | Terry Boon |
| North Shore | | George Gair | George Gair | George Gair | 2,821 | Colin Chiles |
| Oamaru | | Allan Dick | | Bill Laney | 390 | Allan Dick |
| Onehunga | | Hugh Watt | Hugh Watt | Hugh Watt | 4,835 | Peter Blakeborough |
| Otago Central | | Murray Rose | | Ian Quigley | 1,483 | Murray Rose |
| Otahuhu | New electorate | New electorate | | Bob Tizard | 6,403 | D C Brooker |
| Pahiatua | | Keith Holyoake | Keith Holyoake | Keith Holyoake | 4,359 | L J Cairns |
| Pakuranga | | Bob Tizard | | Gavin Downie | 1,802 | J B Irwin |
| Palmerston North | | Joe Walding | Joe Walding | Joe Walding | 1,766 | Paul William Mitchell |
| Papanui | | Bert Walker | Bert Walker | Bert Walker | 1,734 | Mollie Clark |
| Petone | | Fraser Colman | Fraser Colman | Fraser Colman | 5,340 | Nick Ursin |
| Piako | | Jack Luxton | Jack Luxton | Jack Luxton | 4,472 | I L Howell |
| Porirua | | Gerry Wall | Gerry Wall | Gerry Wall | 4,399 | Ross Doughty |
| Raglan | | Douglas Carter | Douglas Carter | Douglas Carter | 1,350 | Allan John Smith |
| Rakaia | New electorate | New electorate | | Colin McLachlan | 2,133 | Alex Clark |
| Rangiora | | Lorrie Pickering | | Kerry Burke | 866 | Adrian Hiatt |
| Rangitikei | | Norman Shelton | | Roy Jack | 3,037 | N R Pearce |
| Remuera | | Allan Highet | Allan Highet | Allan Highet | 6,118 | Rex Stanton |
| Riccarton | | Eric Holland | Eric Holland | Eric Holland | 2,164 | David Jackson |
| Rodney | | Peter Wilkinson | Peter Wilkinson | Peter Wilkinson | 4,507 | Peter Trim |
| Roskill | | Arthur Faulkner | Arthur Faulkner | Arthur Faulkner | 4,439 | John Priestley |
| Rotorua | | Harry Lapwood | Harry Lapwood | Harry Lapwood | 786 | N F Pachoud |
| Ruahine | New electorate | New electorate | | Les Gandar | 552 | Sam Mihaere |
| St Albans | | Roger Drayton | Roger Drayton | Roger Drayton | 3,066 | Ron Doak |
| St Kilda | | Bill Fraser | Bill Fraser | Bill Fraser | 5,615 | Charles Kirby |
| South Canterbury | | Rob Talbot | Rob Talbot | Rob Talbot | 2,035 | David Braithwaite |
| Stratford | | David Thomson | David Thomson | David Thomson | 3,068 | D G Turney |
| Sydenham | | Norman Kirk | Norman Kirk | Norman Kirk | 6,986 | John Burn |
| Tamaki | | Robert Muldoon | Robert Muldoon | Robert Muldoon | 4,590 | Alan Hedger |
| Tasman | New electorate | New electorate | | Bill Rowling | 1,834 | Gerald Hunt |
| Taupo | | Rona Stevenson | | Jack Ridley | 783 | James Frederick Higgins |
| Tauranga | | George Walsh | | Keith Allen | 2,215 | Henry Uttinger |
| Timaru | | Sir Basil Arthur | Sir Basil Arthur | Sir Basil Arthur | 3,954 | Dave Walker |
| Waikato | | Lance Adams-Schneider | Lance Adams-Schneider | Lance Adams-Schneider | 4,208 | Bob Reese |
| Wairarapa | | Jack Williams | Jack Williams | Jack Williams | 1,086 | Ben Couch |
| Waitemata | | Frank Gill | | Michael Bassett | 2,544 | Ray La Varis |
| Wallace | | Brian Talboys | Brian Talboys | Brian Talboys | 2,904 | Ian Lamont |
| Wanganui | | Bill Tolhurst | | Russell Marshall | 2,879 | Bill Tolhurst |
| Wellington Central | | Dan Riddiford | | Ken Comber | 27 | David Shand |
| West Coast | New electorate | New electorate | | Paddy Blanchfield | 4,242 | Barry Dallas |
| Western Hutt | | Henry May | Henry May | Henry May | 2,392 | Julian Watts |
| Whangarei | New electorate | New electorate | | Murray Smith | 1,180 | Lawrence Carr |
| Wigram | | Mick Connelly | Mick Connelly | Mick Connelly | 5,255 | David Cox |
| Māori electorates ||||||||
| Eastern Maori | | Paraone Reweti | Paraone Reweti | Paraone Reweti | 6,190 | Koro Dewes |
| Northern Maori | | Matiu Rata | Matiu Rata | Matiu Rata | 5,260 | Graham Latimer |
| Southern Maori | | Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan | Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan | Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan | 8,251 | Kate Parahi |
| Western Maori | | Koro Wētere | Koro Wētere | Koro Wētere | 8,686 | R Te A H Rawiri |
Table footnotes:
* ↑ Bruce Beetham came third for Social Credit in Rangitikei
* ↑ Shand was first on election night, but lost when special votes were included
* ↑ Julian Watts was a son of Jack Watts

## Select committees

For the 37th Parliament, elected from the 1972 general election, there were the following select committees in the House of Representatives, as follows (Ministers of relevant portfolios are in bold):
Select committees in the 37th New Zealand Parliament :
| Select committee | Portfolios/Jurisdictions | Members |
| Defence |
| Defence | Military affairs, defence matters, disarmament and arms control |
| Defence | Military affairs, defence matters, disarmament and arms control | Aubrey Begg |
| Defence | Military affairs, defence matters, disarmament and arms control | Arthur Faulkner |
| Defence | Military affairs, defence matters, disarmament and arms control | Richard Harrison |
| Defence | Military affairs, defence matters, disarmament and arms control | Allan McCready |
| Defence | Military affairs, defence matters, disarmament and arms control | Ian Quigley |
| Defence | Military affairs, defence matters, disarmament and arms control | David Thomson |
| Defence | Military affairs, defence matters, disarmament and arms control | Jack Williams |
| Education |
| Education | Education, education review, industry training, research |
| Education | Education, education review, industry training, research | Phil Amos |
| Education | Education, education review, industry training, research | Jim Bolger |
| Education | Education, education review, industry training, research | Ian Brooks |
| Education | Education, education review, industry training, research | George Gair |
| Education | Education, education review, industry training, research | Les Gandar |
| Education | Education, education review, industry training, research | Bill Laney |
| Education | Education, education review, industry training, research | Russell Marshall |
| Foreign Affairs |
| Foreign Affairs | International relations, immigration, overseas trade |
| Foreign Affairs | International relations, immigration, overseas trade | Ron Bailey |
| Foreign Affairs | International relations, immigration, overseas trade | Roger Drayton |
| Foreign Affairs | International relations, immigration, overseas trade | Arthur Faulkner |
| Foreign Affairs | International relations, immigration, overseas trade | Frank Gill |
| Foreign Affairs | International relations, immigration, overseas trade | Sir Keith Holyoake |
| Foreign Affairs | International relations, immigration, overseas trade | Norman Kirk |
| Foreign Affairs | International relations, immigration, overseas trade | Harry Lapwood |
| Foreign Affairs | International relations, immigration, overseas trade | Allan McCready |
| Foreign Affairs | International relations, immigration, overseas trade | Mike Moore |
| Foreign Affairs | International relations, immigration, overseas trade | Joe Walding |
| Foreign Affairs | International relations, immigration, overseas trade | Peter Wilkinson |
| House |
| House | | Ron Bailey |
| House | | Roger Douglas |
| House | | Richard Harrison |
| House | | Jonathan Hunt |
| House | | Colin McLachlan |
| House | | J. B. Munro |
| House | | Bert Walker |
| Island Affairs |
| Island Affairs | Pacific Islands affairs |
| Island Affairs | Pacific Islands affairs | Phil Amos |
| Island Affairs | Pacific Islands affairs | Gavin Downie |
| Island Affairs | Pacific Islands affairs | Eddie Isbey |
| Island Affairs | Pacific Islands affairs | Leo Schultz |
| Island Affairs | Pacific Islands affairs | Gerry Wall |
| Island Affairs | Pacific Islands affairs | Venn Young |
| Island Affairs | Pacific Islands affairs | Koro Wētere |
| Labour |
| Labour | Industrial relations and employment |
| Labour | Industrial relations and employment | Norman Douglas |
| Labour | Industrial relations and employment | Eric Holland |
| Labour | Industrial relations and employment | Eddie Isbey |
| Labour | Industrial relations and employment | Dorothy Jelicich |
| Labour | Industrial relations and employment | Jack Luxton |
| Labour | Industrial relations and employment | Frank O'Flynn |
| Labour | Industrial relations and employment | Paraone Reweti |
| Labour | Industrial relations and employment | David Thomson |
| Labour | Industrial relations and employment | Bill Young |
| Labour | Industrial relations and employment | Hugh Watt |
| Lands and Agriculture |
| Lands and Agriculture | Agriculture, biosecurity, fisheries, forestry, lands, and land information |
| Lands and Agriculture | Agriculture, biosecurity, fisheries, forestry, lands, and land information | Bruce Barclay |
| Lands and Agriculture | Agriculture, biosecurity, fisheries, forestry, lands, and land information | Aubrey Begg |
| Lands and Agriculture | Agriculture, biosecurity, fisheries, forestry, lands, and land information | Jim Bolger |
| Lands and Agriculture | Agriculture, biosecurity, fisheries, forestry, lands, and land information | Ian Brooks |
| Lands and Agriculture | Agriculture, biosecurity, fisheries, forestry, lands, and land information | Kerry Burke |
| Lands and Agriculture | Agriculture, biosecurity, fisheries, forestry, lands, and land information | Douglas Carter |
| Lands and Agriculture | Agriculture, biosecurity, fisheries, forestry, lands, and land information | Colin Moyle |
| Lands and Agriculture | Agriculture, biosecurity, fisheries, forestry, lands, and land information | Rob Talbot |
| Lands and Agriculture | Agriculture, biosecurity, fisheries, forestry, lands, and land information | Jack Williams |
| Lands and Agriculture | Agriculture, biosecurity, fisheries, forestry, lands, and land information | Venn Young |
| Library |
| Library | Parliamentary library |
| Library | Parliamentary library | Lance Adams-Schneider |
| Library | Parliamentary library | Keith Allen |
| Library | Parliamentary library | Kerry Burke |
| Library | Parliamentary library | Norman Douglas |
| Library | Parliamentary library | Sir Roy Jack |
| Library | Parliamentary library | Ethel McMillan |
| Library | Parliamentary library | Stanley Whitehead |
| Local Bills |
| Local Bills | | Keith Allen |
| Local Bills | | Ron Barclay |
| Local Bills | | Mary Batchelor |
| Local Bills | | Allan Highet |
| Local Bills | | Bill Laney |
| Local Bills | | Colin McLachlan |
| Local Bills | | Ethel McMillan |
| Local Bills | | Henry May |
| Local Bills | | Mike Moore |
| Local Bills | | Gerald O'Brien |
| Local Bills | | Logan Sloane |
| Māori Affairs |
| Māori Affairs | Māori affairs |
| Māori Affairs | Māori affairs | Percy Allen |
| Māori Affairs | Māori affairs | Bill Birch |
| Māori Affairs | Māori affairs | Jack Luxton |
| Māori Affairs | Māori affairs | Russell Marshall |
| Māori Affairs | Māori affairs | Allan McCready |
| Māori Affairs | Māori affairs | Matiu Rata |
| Māori Affairs | Māori affairs | Paraone Reweti |
| Māori Affairs | Māori affairs | Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan |
| Māori Affairs | Māori affairs | Leo Schultz |
| Māori Affairs | Māori affairs | Gerry Wall |
| Māori Affairs | Māori affairs | Koro Wētere |
| Petitions |
| Petitions | Public submissions |
| Petitions | Public submissions | Bill Birch |
| Petitions | Public submissions | Kerry Burke |
| Petitions | Public submissions | Gordon Christie |
| Petitions | Public submissions | Ken Comber |
| Petitions | Public submissions | Bill Fraser |
| Petitions | Public submissions | Richard Mayson |
| Petitions | Public submissions | Bert Walker |
| Privileges |
| Privileges | Parliamentary privilege |
| Privileges | Parliamentary privilege | Martyn Finlay |
| Privileges | Parliamentary privilege | Norman Kirk |
| Privileges | Parliamentary privilege | Jack Marshall |
| Privileges | Parliamentary privilege | Robert Muldoon |
| Privileges | Parliamentary privilege | Hugh Watt |
| Public expenditure |
| Public expenditure | Finance, revenue, taxation, audit |
| Public expenditure | Finance, revenue, taxation, audit | Roger Drayton |
| Public expenditure | Finance, revenue, taxation, audit | George Gair |
| Public expenditure | Finance, revenue, taxation, audit | Frank Gill |
| Public expenditure | Finance, revenue, taxation, audit | Peter Gordon |
| Public expenditure | Finance, revenue, taxation, audit | Jonathan Hunt |
| Public expenditure | Finance, revenue, taxation, audit | Brian MacDonell |
| Public expenditure | Finance, revenue, taxation, audit | Robert Muldoon |
| Public expenditure | Finance, revenue, taxation, audit | Jack Ridley |
| Public expenditure | Finance, revenue, taxation, audit | Bill Rowling |
| Public expenditure | Finance, revenue, taxation, audit | Murray Smith |
| Road safety |
| Road safety | | Percy Allen |
| Road safety | | Sir Basil Arthur |
| Road safety | | Ron Bailey |
| Road safety | | Ron Barclay |
| Road safety | | Douglas Carter |
| Road safety | | Trevor Davey |
| Road safety | | Les Gandar |
| Road safety | | Peter Gordon |
| Road safety | | Richard Mayson |
| Road safety | | Ian Quigley |
| Selection |
| Selection | | Ron Bailey |
| Selection | | Norman Kirk |
| Selection | | Jack Marshall |
| Selection | | Robert Muldoon |
| Selection | | Hugh Watt |
| Statutes Revision |
| Statutes Revision | | Michael Bassett |
| Statutes Revision | | Martyn Finlay |
| Statutes Revision | | Eric Holland |
| Statutes Revision | | Sir Roy Jack |
| Statutes Revision | | J. B. Munro |
| Statutes Revision | | Frank O'Flynn |
| Statutes Revision | | Rufus Rogers |
| Statutes Revision | | Rob Talbot |
| Statutes Revision | | Peter Wilkinson |
| Statutes Revision | | Trevor Young |
| Trade and Industry |
| Trade and Industry | | Paddy Blanchfield |
| Trade and Industry | | Ken Comber |
| Trade and Industry | | Trevor Davey |
| Trade and Industry | | Warren Freer |
| Trade and Industry | | Brian MacDonell |
| Trade and Industry | | Brian Talboys |
| Trade and Industry | | Bill Young |

## By-elections during 37th Parliament

There was one by-election held during the term of the 37th Parliament.
| Electorate and by-election | Electorate and by-election | Date | Incumbent | Incumbent | Cause | Winner | Winner |
| Sydenham | 1974 | 2 November | | Norman Kirk | Death | | John Kirk |