# 1990 New Zealand general election

The 1990 New Zealand general election was held on 27 October to determine the composition of the 43rd New Zealand parliament. The governing Labour Party was defeated in a landslide, ending its two terms in office. The National Party, led by Jim Bolger, won the largest majority government in New Zealand history.
This election was the first time since 1975 that National had won the popular vote.

## Background

The Labour Party had taken office after defeating the National Party under Robert Muldoon in the 1984 election. David Lange became prime minister and Roger Douglas became Minister of Finance. The economic program outlined by Douglas was deeply unpopular with Labour's traditional supporters, however – deregulation, privatisation, and free trade, all opposed by the party's more left-wing members, were a key part of the Rogernomics platform. This internal dissent was off-set somewhat by new social legislation and a strong stance against nuclear weapons.
Labour was re-elected in the 1987 election with its parliamentary majority untouched, but the internal disputes continued. Eventually Lange forced Douglas to resign in December 1988, but continued destabilisation of his leadership by Douglas had weakened Lange's position such that he resigned eight months later. He was replaced as prime minister by Geoffrey Palmer, but Palmer failed to revive Labour's falling popularity. Several months before the election, Palmer was replaced by Mike Moore. The National Party was performing strongly – its leader, Jim Bolger, spoke repeatedly of "the Decent Society", saying that the reforms were doing significant damage to the social fabric of the country. The government was also being challenged by the NewLabour Party, founded by renegade MP Jim Anderton.

### MPs retiring in 1990

Five National MPs and eleven Labour MPs intended to retire at the end of the 42nd Parliament.
| Party | Name | Electorate |
| National | George Gair | North Shore |
| National | Merv Wellington | Papakura |
| National | Ian McLean | Tarawera |
| National | Venn Young | Waitotara |
| National | Derek Angus | Wallace |
| Labour | Geoffrey Palmer | Christchurch Central |
| Labour | Stan Rodger | Dunedin North |
| Labour | Anne Collins | East Cape |
| Labour | Trevor Young | Eastern Hutt |
| Labour | Roger Douglas | Manurewa |
| Labour | Philip Woollaston | Nelson |
| Labour | Colin Moyle | Otara |
| Labour | Trevor de Cleene | Palmerston North |
| Labour | Bob Tizard | Panmure |
| Labour | Michael Bassett | Te Atatu |
| Labour | Russell Marshall | Wanganui |

## The election

The date for the 1990 election was 27 October. 2,202,157 people were registered to vote, and 85.2% of these people turned out. The number of seats being contested was 97 – this was the same as in the previous election, which had the largest number of seats for any Parliament until that point.

## Summary of results

The 1990 election eventually saw a victory for the National Party, then in opposition. National won nearly half (48%) of the vote and 67 (69%) of the seats, becoming the fourth National government. This was the highest number of seats the party had ever won, either in absolute terms or as a percentage, and by extension the largest majority government in New Zealand history. Four new (and young) National MPs: (Bill English, Tony Ryall, Roger Sowry and Nick Smith) were called the "brat pack" by Sir Robert Muldoon (himself one of the "Young Turks" of 1960).
The new Green Party gained the third-highest number of votes, but won no seats. The NewLabour Party won a single seat, due to Jim Anderton retaining the Sydenham seat he originally won as a Labour candidate.
The governing Labour Party, by contrast, suffered its worst-ever defeat since it first won power in the 1935 election, winning only 29 (30%) of the seats and 35% of the vote (its lowest percentage since 1931), and losing 27 seats. Initially it appeared that twelve ministers and the Speaker had lost their seats, but Fran Wilde scraped in on special votes. Many of Labour's talented "class of 84" were swept out, though five of them, Annette King, Jim Sutton, Trevor Mallard, Richard Northey and Judy Keall, returned in 1993.
The result was primarily due to intense anger at Labour and its policies (shown by it losing 12% of the vote) rather than love of National (which only increased its vote by 4%).

## Detailed results
### Party totals

Election results :
| Party | Party | Candidates | Total votes | Percentage | Seats won |
| | National | 97 | 872,358 | 47.82 | 67 |
| | Labour | 97 | 640,915 | 35.14 | 29 |
| | Greens | 71 | 124,915 | 6.85 | - |
| | NewLabour | 93 | 94,171 | 5.16 | 1 |
| | Democrats | 91 | 30,455 | 1.67 | - |
| | Social Credit | 68 | 17,897 | 0.98 | - |
| | Mana Motuhake | 4 | 10,869 | 0.60 | - |
| | McGillicuddy Serious | 59 | 10,058 | 0.55 | - |
| | Christian Heritage | 18 | 9,591 | 0.53 | - |
| Minor parties and Independents | Minor parties and Independents | 76 | 12,863 | 0.71 | - |
| Total | Total | 674 | 1,824,092 | | 97 |

### Votes summary

Popular Vote
National
47.82%
Labour
35.14%
Greens
6.85%
NewLabour
5.16%
Democrats
2.02%
Others
3.37% :
Parliament seats
National
69.07%
Labour
29.90%
NewLabour
1.03% :

### Electorate results

The tables below shows the results of the 1990 general election:
Key
National  Labour  Democrats  NewLabour  Mana Motuhake
Electorate results for the 1990 New Zealand general election :
| Electorate | Incumbent | Winner | Winner | Majority | Runner up |
| General electorates ||||||||
| Albany | Don McKinnon | Don McKinnon | Don McKinnon | 7,455 | June Allen |
| Ashburton | Jenny Shipley | Jenny Shipley | Jenny Shipley | 7,922 | Basil Moskovis |
| Auckland Central | Richard Prebble | Richard Prebble | Richard Prebble | 3,277 | Kathryn Hill |
| Avon | Larry Sutherland | Larry Sutherland | Larry Sutherland | 4,250 | Wendy Rush |
| Awarua | Jeff Grant | Jeff Grant | Jeff Grant | 4,964 | Heather Russell |
| Bay of Islands | John Carter | John Carter | John Carter | 5,285 | Bruce Raitt |
| Birkenhead | Jenny Kirk | | Ian Revell | 2,813 | Jenny Kirk |
| Christchurch Central | Geoffrey Palmer | | Lianne Dalziel | 3,769 | Ross Gluer |
| Christchurch North | Mike Moore | Mike Moore | Mike Moore | 2,148 | Peter Yarrell |
| Clevedon | Warren Kyd | Warren Kyd | Warren Kyd | 4,732 | Ann Batten |
| Clutha | Robin Gray | Robin Gray | Robin Gray | 6,527 | Jeff Buchanan |
| Coromandel | Graeme Lee | Graeme Lee | Graeme Lee | 6,342 | Margaret Hawkeswood |
| Dunedin North | Stan Rodger | | Pete Hodgson | 2,336 | Gael Donoghue |
| Dunedin West | Clive Matthewson | Clive Matthewson | Clive Matthewson | 1,779 | Ian McMeeking |
| East Cape | Anne Collins | | Tony Ryall | 1,968 | Dianne Collins |
| East Coast Bays | Murray McCully | Murray McCully | Murray McCully | 5,216 | Gary Knapp |
| Eastern Hutt | Trevor Young | | Paul Swain | 801 | Rosemary Thomas |
| Eden | Richard Northey | | Christine Fletcher | 1,524 | Richard Northey |
| Fendalton | Philip Burdon | Philip Burdon | Philip Burdon | 4,993 | Tony Day |
| Gisborne | Allan Wallbank | | Wayne Kimber | 449 | Allan Wallbank |
| Glenfield | Judy Keall | | Peter Hilt | 2,958 | Judy Keall |
| Hamilton East | Bill Dillon | | Tony Steel | 2,121 | Bill Dillon |
| Hamilton West | Trevor Mallard | | Grant Thomas | 1,563 | Trevor Mallard |
| Hastings | David Butcher | | Jeff Whittaker | 728 | David Butcher |
| Hawkes Bay | Bill Sutton | | Michael Laws | 2,895 | Bill Sutton |
| Heretaunga | Bill Jeffries | | Peter McCardle | 1,122 | Bill Jeffries |
| Hobson | Ross Meurant | Ross Meurant | Ross Meurant | 6,641 | Howard Henry |
| Horowhenua | Annette King | | Hamish Hancock | 624 | Annette King |
| Invercargill | Rob Munro | Rob Munro | Rob Munro | 4,137 | Barry Rait |
| Island Bay | Elizabeth Tennet | Elizabeth Tennet | Elizabeth Tennet | 3,635 | Ann Nolan |
| Kaimai | Robert Anderson | Robert Anderson | Robert Anderson | 8,147 | Gordon Dickson |
| Kaipara | Lockwood Smith | Lockwood Smith | Lockwood Smith | 8,610 | Wayne Sellwood |
| Kapiti | Margaret Shields | | Roger Sowry | 1,599 | Margaret Shields |
| King Country | Jim Bolger | Jim Bolger | Jim Bolger | 7,274 | Cameron Gordon |
| Lyttelton | Peter Simpson | | Gail McIntosh | 68 | Peter Simpson |
| Manawatu | David Robinson | | Hamish MacIntyre | 3,089 | David Robinson |
| Mangere | David Lange | David Lange | David Lange | 4,039 | Bryan Archer |
| Manurewa | Roger Douglas | | George Hawkins | 1,143 | Pat Baker |
| Maramarua | Bill Birch | Bill Birch | Bill Birch | 7,670 | Charles Chauvel |
| Marlborough | Doug Kidd | Doug Kidd | Doug Kidd | 7,187 | Barbara Hutchinson |
| Matamata | John Luxton | John Luxton | John Luxton | 8,501 | Bill Pepperell |
| Miramar | Peter Neilson | | Graeme Reeves | 552 | Peter Neilson |
| Mt Albert | Helen Clark | Helen Clark | Helen Clark | 1,230 | Larry Bellshaw |
| Napier | Geoff Braybrooke | Geoff Braybrooke | Geoff Braybrooke | 1,265 | Colleen Pritchard |
| Nelson | Philip Woollaston | | John Blincoe | 636 | L Baigent |
| New Lynn | Jonathan Hunt | Jonathan Hunt | Jonathan Hunt | 1,099 | Martyn Athol Bishop |
| New Plymouth | Harry Duynhoven | | John Armstrong | 1,701 | Harry Duynhoven |
| North Shore | George Gair | | Bruce Cliffe | 6,183 | Graeme Ransom |
| Ohariu | Peter Dunne | Peter Dunne | Peter Dunne | 783 | George Mathew |
| Onehunga | Fred Gerbic | | Grahame Thorne | 612 | Fred Gerbic |
| Otago | Warren Cooper | Warren Cooper | Warren Cooper | 3,927 | Tony Cooke |
| Otara | Colin Moyle | | Trevor Rogers | 1,226 | Taito Phillip Field |
| Pahiatua | John Falloon | John Falloon | John Falloon | 7,689 | Margo Martindale |
| Pakuranga | Maurice Williamson | Maurice Williamson | Maurice Williamson | 9,086 | Paul Charles Grant |
| Palmerston North | Trevor de Cleene | | Steve Maharey | 349 | Paul Sherriff |
| Panmure | Bob Tizard | | Judith Tizard | 1,098 | Gray Bartlett |
| Papakura | Merv Wellington | | John Robertson | 5,665 | James Stubbs |
| Papatoetoe | Ross Robertson | Ross Robertson | Ross Robertson | 510 | Allan Brewster |
| Pencarrow | Sonja Davies | Sonja Davies | Sonja Davies | 384 | Ray Wallace |
| Porirua | Graham Kelly | Graham Kelly | Graham Kelly | 3,453 | P Faulkner |
| Raglan | Simon Upton | Simon Upton | Simon Upton | 5,442 | Olivia Scaletti-Longley |
| Rangiora | Jim Gerard | Jim Gerard | Jim Gerard | 5,273 | Judith Alison McLachlan |
| Rangitikei | Denis Marshall | Denis Marshall | Denis Marshall | 6,127 | Patricia Barton |
| Remuera | Doug Graham | Doug Graham | Doug Graham | 7,368 | Carl Harding |
| Roskill | Phil Goff | | Gilbert Myles | 644 | Phil Goff |
| Rotorua | Paul East | Paul East | Paul East | 5,270 | Bruce Raitt |
| St Albans | David Caygill | David Caygill | David Caygill | 1,560 | David Dumergue |
| St Kilda | Michael Cullen | Michael Cullen | Michael Cullen | 1,886 | Bruce Alexander |
| Selwyn | Ruth Richardson | Ruth Richardson | Ruth Richardson | 5,441 | Val Elley |
| Sydenham | Jim Anderton | Jim Anderton | Jim Anderton | 1,443 | Linda Constable |
| Tamaki | Robert Muldoon | Robert Muldoon | Robert Muldoon | 7,592 | Malcolm Johnston |
| Taranaki | Roger Maxwell | Roger Maxwell | Roger Maxwell | 7,867 | Scott Dalziel |
| Tarawera | Ian McLean | | Max Bradford | 5,152 | Malcolm Moore |
| Tasman | Ken Shirley | | Nick Smith | 2,246 | Ken Shirley |
| Tauranga | Winston Peters | Winston Peters | Winston Peters | 9,314 | Bill Delaney |
| Te Atatu | Michael Bassett | | Brian Neeson | 1,370 | Dan McCaffrey |
| Timaru | Maurice McTigue | Maurice McTigue | Maurice McTigue | 3,192 | Gary Clarke |
| Titirangi | Ralph Maxwell | | Marie Hasler | 64 | Ralph Maxwell |
| Tongariro | Noel Scott | | Ian Peters | 886 | Noel Scott |
| Waikaremoana | Roger McClay | Roger McClay | Roger McClay | 5,865 | David Davies |
| Waikato | Rob Storey | Rob Storey | Rob Storey | 6,172 | George Middleton |
| Waipa | Katherine O'Regan | Katherine O'Regan | Katherine O'Regan | 8,477 | Mark Apiata-Wade |
| Wairarapa | Wyatt Creech | Wyatt Creech | Wyatt Creech | 4,141 | Pauline Moran |
| Waitaki | Jim Sutton | | Alec Neill | 2,905 | Jim Sutton |
| Waitotara | Venn Young | | Peter Gresham | 7,192 | Dominic O'Sullivan |
| Wallace | Derek Angus | | Bill English | 8,886 | David Soper |
| Wanganui | Russell Marshall | | Cam Campion | 409 | Jill Pettis |
| Wellington Central | Fran Wilde | Fran Wilde | Fran Wilde | 246 | Pauline Gardiner |
| West Auckland | Jack Elder | Jack Elder | Jack Elder | 252 | Laurie Wicks |
| West Coast | Kerry Burke | | Margaret Moir | 2,611 | Kerry Burke |
| Western Hutt | John Terris | | Joy Quigley | 700 | John Terris |
| Whangarei | John Banks | John Banks | John Banks | 6,839 | Edna Tait |
| Yaldhurst | Margaret Austin | Margaret Austin | Margaret Austin | 42 | John Connelly |
| Māori electorates ||||||||
| Eastern Maori | Peter Tapsell | Peter Tapsell | Peter Tapsell | 6,844 | Wi Kuki Kaa |
| Northern Maori | Bruce Gregory | Bruce Gregory | Bruce Gregory | 956 | Matiu Rata |
| Southern Maori | Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan | Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan | Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan | 7,614 | Tikirau Stevens |
| Western Maori | Koro Wētere | Koro Wētere | Koro Wētere | 5,466 | Eva Rickard |
Table footnotes:
* ↑ Gardiner was first on election night for Wellington Central, but lost when special votes were included

### Summary of seat changes

* Electoral redistributions:
** There was no redistribution of electoral boundaries between the 1987 and 1990 elections.
* Seats captured:
** By National: Birkenhead, East Cape, Eden, Gisborne, Glenfield, Hamilton East, Hamilton West, Hastings, Hawkes Bay, Heretaunga, Horowhenua, Kapiti, Lyttelton, Manawatu, Miramar, New Plymouth, Onehunga, Otara, Roskill, Tasman, Te Atatu, Titirangi, Tongariro, Waitaki, Wanganui, West Coast and Western Hutt (27 seats) were captured from Labour. Seventeen of these (Gisborne, Hamilton East, Hamilton West, Hastings, Horowhenua, Lyttelton, Manawatu, Miramar, New Plymouth, Onehunga, Otara, Roskill, Te Atatu, Titirangi, Tongariro, Wanganui & the West Coast) were one-term gains, recaptured by Labour in 1993.
* Seats transferred from departing MPs to new MPs:
** The seats of North Shore, Papakura, Tarawera, Waitotara and Wallace, all held by departing National MPs, were won by new National candidates.
** The seats of Christchurch Central, Dunedin North, Eastern Hutt, Manurewa, Nelson, Palmerston North and Panmure, all held by departing Labour MPs, were won by new Labour candidates.

## Post-election events

A number of local by-elections were required due to the resignation of incumbent local body politicians following their election to Parliament:
* A by-election to the Auckland City Council was caused after Maungakiekie Ward councillor Grahame Thorne resigned his seat after he was elected MP for Onehunga, necessitating a by-election to fill the council vacancy. The by-election was won by Ken Graham with two candidates from the general election, Richard Northey (Labour candidate for Eden) and Laurie Ross (Green candidate for Onehunga), also contesting.
* A by-election to the Auckland Regional Council was caused after Panmure Ward councillor Judith Tizard resigned her seat after she was elected MP for Panmure, necessitating a by-election to fill the council vacancy. The by-election was won by Bruce Jesson with a retiring candidate at the general election, Bob Tizard (previously Labour MP for Panmure) also contesting.
* A by-election to the Wellington City Council was caused after Southern Ward councillor John Blincoe resigned his seat after he was elected MP for Nelson, necessitating a by-election to fill the council vacancy. The by-election was won by Margaret Bonner with two candidates from the general election, Ann Nolan (National candidate for Island Bay) and Jeff Montgomery (NewLabour candidate for Wellington Central), also contesting.