# 39th New Zealand Parliament

The 39th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand which began with the general election held on 25 November 1978, and finished with the general election held on 28 November 1981. The dates of the Muldoon Ministry were from 13 December 1978 to 11 December 1981.
The Prime Minister, Robert Muldoon of the National Party, led the Third National Government from 1975 to 1984.

## Overview of seats

The table below shows the number of MPs in each party following the 1978 election and at dissolution:
| Affiliation | Affiliation | Members | Members |
| Affiliation | Affiliation | At 1978 election | At dissolution |
| | National | 51 | 50 |
| 50 ||
| | Labour | 40 | 40 |
| | Social Credit | 1 | 2 |
| Opposition total | Opposition total | 41 | 42 |
| Total | Total | 92 | 92 |
| Working Government majority | Working Government majority | 10 | 8 |
Notes
* The Working Government majority is calculated as all Government MPs less all other parties.

## Initial composition of the 39th Parliament

The tables below shows the results of the 1978 general election:
Key
National  Labour  Social Credit
Electorate results for the 1978 New Zealand general election :
| Electorate | Incumbent | Incumbent | Winner | Winner | Majority | Runner up |
| General electorates ||||||||
| Albany | New electorate | New electorate | | Don McKinnon | 1,159 | David Rankin |
| Ashburton | New electorate | New electorate | | Rob Talbot | 3.005 | John Srhoy |
| Auckland Central | | Richard Prebble | Richard Prebble | Richard Prebble | 5,284 | Maire Cole |
| Avon | | Mary Batchelor | Mary Batchelor | Mary Batchelor | 8,215 | Tom George |
| Awarua | | Rex Austin | Rex Austin | Rex Austin | 1,450 | Bill Devine |
| Bay of Islands | New electorate | New electorate | | Neill Austin | 1,682 | William Guy McPherson |
| Birkenhead | | Jim McLay | Jim McLay | Jim McLay | 2,534 | Rex Stanton |
| Christchurch Central | | Bruce Barclay | Bruce Barclay | Bruce Barclay | 5,947 | Gwen Clucas |
| Clutha | | Peter Gordon | | Robin Gray | 1,427 | F A O'Connell |
| Dunedin Central | | Brian MacDonell | Brian MacDonell | Brian MacDonell | 3,413 | M B Ablett |
| Dunedin North | | Richard Walls | | Stan Rodger | 2,850 | Richard Walls |
| East Cape | New electorate | New electorate | | Duncan MacIntyre | 2,533 | O P Drabble |
| East Coast Bays | | Frank Gill | Frank Gill | Frank Gill | 1,566 | Colleen Hicks |
| Eastern Hutt | New electorate | New electorate | | Trevor Young | 5,373 | Rosemary Young |
| Eden | | Aussie Malcolm | Aussie Malcolm | Aussie Malcolm | 648 | John Hinchcliff |
| Fendalton | New electorate | New electorate | | Eric Holland | 1,956 | David Close |
| Gisborne | | Bob Bell | Bob Bell | Bob Bell | 213 | Allan Wallbank |
| Hamilton East | | Ian Shearer | Ian Shearer | Ian Shearer | 1,361 | Lois Welch |
| Hamilton West | | Mike Minogue | Mike Minogue | Mike Minogue | 1,006 | Dorothy Jelicich |
| Hastings | | Bob Fenton | | David Butcher | 334 | Bob Fenton |
| Hauraki | New electorate | New electorate | | Leo Schultz | 2,019 | Gordon Miller |
| Hawkes Bay | | Richard Harrison | Richard Harrison | Richard Harrison | 1,908 | Mike Cullen |
| Helensville | New electorate | New electorate | | Dail Jones | 1,199 | Jack Elder |
| Heretaunga | | Ron Bailey | Ron Bailey | Ron Bailey | 2,744 | John Ward |
| Horowhenua | New electorate | New electorate | | Geoff Thompson | 744 | Alan Charles Eyles |
| Hunua | New electorate | New electorate | | Winston Peters | 192 | Malcolm Douglas |
| Invercargill | | Norman Jones | Norman Jones | Norman Jones | 256 | Aubrey Begg |
| Island Bay | | Gerald O'Brien | | Frank O'Flynn | 650 | Bill Nathan |
| Kaimai | New electorate | New electorate | | Bruce Townshend | 3,476 | Douglas Conway |
| Kaipara | New electorate | New electorate | | Peter Wilkinson | 520 | Nevern McConachy |
| Kapiti | | Barry Brill | Barry Brill | Barry Brill | 23 | Margaret Shields |
| King Country | | Jim Bolger | Jim Bolger | Jim Bolger | 2,770 | Leo Menefy |
| Lyttelton | | Colleen Dewe | | Ann Hercus | 1,423 | Colleen Dewe |
| Manawatu | | Allan McCready | | Michael Cox | 2,913 | Trevor de Cleene |
| Mangere | | David Lange | David Lange | David Lange | 6,263 | Peter Saunders |
| Manurewa | | Merv Wellington | | Roger Douglas | 2,467 | Peter O'Brien |
| Marlborough | | Ed Latter | | Doug Kidd | 323 | Ian Brooks |
| Matamata | New electorate | New electorate | | Jack Luxton | 4,407 | David Mawdsley |
| Miramar | | Bill Young | Bill Young | Bill Young | 315 | Bill Jeffries |
| Mt Albert | | Warren Freer | Warren Freer | Warren Freer | 2,861 | Frank Ryan |
| Napier | | Gordon Christie | Gordon Christie | Gordon Christie | 2,927 | Kevin Rose |
| Nelson | | Mel Courtney | Mel Courtney | Mel Courtney | 2,239 | Peter Malone |
| New Lynn | | Jonathan Hunt | Jonathan Hunt | Jonathan Hunt | 4,390 | Jacky Bridges |
| New Plymouth | | Tony Friedlander | Tony Friedlander | Tony Friedlander | 112 | Dennis Duggan |
| North Shore | | George Gair | George Gair | George Gair | 4,650 | Gene Leckey |
| Onehunga | | Frank Rogers | Frank Rogers | Frank Rogers | 1,417 | Barrie Hutchinson |
| Ohariu | New electorate | New electorate | | Hugh Templeton | 1,958 | Helene Ritchie |
| Otago | New electorate | New electorate | | Warren Cooper | 3,722 | R J Rutherford |
| Otahuhu | | Bob Tizard | Bob Tizard | Bob Tizard | 4,762 | Ray Ah Chee |
| Pahiatua | | John Falloon | John Falloon | John Falloon | 6,675 | P M A Hills |
| Pakuranga | | Gavin Downie | | Pat Hunt | 2,111 | Elsa Smith |
| Palmerston North | | John Lithgow | | Joe Walding | 2,736 | John Lithgow |
| Papakura | New electorate | New electorate | | Merv Wellington | 3,622 | Geoff Braybrooke |
| Papanui | | Bert Walker | | Mike Moore | 3,289 | Bert Walker |
| Papatoetoe | New electorate | New electorate | | Eddie Isbey | 1,511 | Colin Bidois |
| Pencarrow | New electorate | New electorate | | Fraser Colman | 3,649 | Brett Newell |
| Porirua | | Gerry Wall | Gerry Wall | Gerry Wall | 3,657 | Alan Perry |
| Rangiora | | Derek Quigley | Derek Quigley | Derek Quigley | 1,145 | Don McKenzie |
| Rangiriri | New electorate | New electorate | | Bill Birch | 2,276 | Robert Frederick McKee |
| Rangitikei | | Bruce Beetham | Bruce Beetham | Bruce Beetham | 2,853 | Les Gandar |
| Remuera | | Allan Highet | Allan Highet | Allan Highet | 5,771 | Lee Goffin |
| Roskill | | Arthur Faulkner | Arthur Faulkner | Arthur Faulkner | 1,671 | John Banks |
| Rotorua | | Harry Lapwood | | Paul East | 1,020 | Peter Tapsell |
| St Albans | | Roger Drayton | | David Caygill | 3,679 | Neil Russell |
| St Kilda | | Bill Fraser | Bill Fraser | Bill Fraser | 2,959 | Graeme Laing |
| Selwyn | New electorate | New electorate | | Colin McLachlan | 1,232 | Bill Woods |
| Sydenham | | John Kirk | John Kirk | John Kirk | 7,040 | Ian Wilson |
| Tamaki | | Robert Muldoon | Robert Muldoon | Robert Muldoon | 6,310 | Audie Cooke-Pennefather |
| Taranaki | New electorate | New electorate | | David Thomson | 4,573 | K A Tracey |
| Tarawera | New electorate | New electorate | | Ian Mclean | 2,022 | JJ Stewart |
| Tasman | | Bill Rowling | Bill Rowling | Bill Rowling | 1,794 | Ruth Richardson |
| Taupo | | Ray La Varis | | Jack Ridley | 609 | Lesley A. Miller |
| Tauranga | | Keith Allen | Keith Allen | Keith Allen | 3,318 | Paul Hills |
| Te Atatu | | Michael Bassett | Michael Bassett | Michael Bassett | 2,819 | W R Cross |
| Timaru | | Sir Basil Arthur | Sir Basil Arthur | Sir Basil Arthur | 2,183 | Bill Penno |
| Waikato | | Lance Adams-Schneider | Lance Adams-Schneider | Lance Adams-Schneider | 5,063 | Brian West |
| Waipa | New electorate | New electorate | | Marilyn Waring | 4,906 | John Kilbride |
| Wairarapa | | Ben Couch | Ben Couch | Ben Couch | 837 | Allan Levett |
| Waitakere | New electorate | New electorate | | Ralph Maxwell | 2,016 | Bill Haresnape |
| Waitaki | New electorate | New electorate | | Jonathan Elworthy | 1,315 | Bill Laney |
| Waitotara | New electorate | New electorate | | Venn Young | 4,109 | Edith Charteris |
| Wallace | | Brian Talboys | Brian Talboys | Brian Talboys | 5,324 | Jim Thomson |
| Wanganui | | Russell Marshall | Russell Marshall | Russell Marshall | 3,102 | John Rowan |
| Wellington Central | | Ken Comber | Ken Comber | Ken Comber | 916 | Neville Pickering |
| West Coast | | Paddy Blanchfield | | Kerry Burke | 5,647 | George Ferguson |
| Western Hutt | | Bill Lambert | | John Terris | 168 | Bill Lambert |
| Whangarei | | John Elliott | John Elliott | John Elliott | 1,176 | Colin Moyle |
| Yaldhurst | New electorate | New electorate | | Mick Connelly | 1,638 | David Watson |
| Māori electorates ||||||||
| Eastern Maori | | Paraone Reweti | Paraone Reweti | Paraone Reweti | 7,400 | Monty Searancke |
| Northern Maori | | Matiu Rata | Matiu Rata | Matiu Rata | 4,844 | Joe Toia |
| Southern Maori | | Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan | Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan | Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan | 9,180 | Charles Piharo Maitai |
| Western Maori | | Koro Wētere | Koro Wētere | Koro Wētere | 9,719 | Gordon Pihema |
Table footnotes:
* ↑ The election of Malcolm Douglas in Hunua was overturned by the Electoral Court on 24 May 1979
* ↑ Gerald O'Brien came third standing as Independent Labour
* ↑ Margaret Shields had initially been declared the winner but she lost 83 votes in a magisterial recount

## By-elections during 39th Parliament

There were a number of changes during the term of the 39th Parliament.
| Electorate and by-election | Electorate and by-election | Date | Incumbent | Cause | Winner |
| Christchurch Central | 1979 | 18 August | Bruce Barclay | Death | Geoffrey Palmer |
| Northern Maori | 1980 | 7 June | Matiu Rata | Resignation | Bruce Gregory |
| Onehunga | 1980 | 7 June | Frank Rogers | Death | Fred Gerbic |
| East Coast Bays | 1980 | 6 September | Frank Gill | Appointed as Ambassador to US | Gary Knapp |

### Summary of changes during term

* Bruce Barclay, the Labour MP for Christchurch Central, died in 1979. The ensuing by-election was won by Geoffrey Palmer, also of the Labour Party.
* Matiu Rata, a Labour cabinet minister, resigned from his party in 1979 due to disagreements with its policy towards Māori. In 1980, Rata quit parliament and founded the Mana Motuhake party. Rata then contested the ensuing by-election, but came second. He was replaced by Bruce Gregory of the Labour Party.
* Frank Rogers, the Labour MP for Onehunga, died in 1980. The ensuing by-election was won by Fred Gerbic, also of the Labour Party.
* Frank Gill, the National MP for East Coast Bays, resigned from parliament in 1980 in order to take up a position as New Zealand's ambassador in Washington. The ensuing by-election was won, much to the National Party's surprise, by Gary Knapp of the Social Credit Party.