# 44th New Zealand Parliament

The 44th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. Its composition was determined by the 1993 elections, and it sat until the 1996 elections.
The 44th Parliament was the last to be elected under the old FPP electoral system, with voters approving a change to MMP at the same time as they voted in the 1993 elections. As such, the 44th Parliament saw a considerable amount of positioning for the change — at the beginning of the term, there were four parties in Parliament, but at the end, there were seven parties and one independent. The National Party, which had begun the term with a majority, was forced by the end of the term to form a coalition with several smaller parties to remain in power. Despite the various maneuverings, however, the National Party remained in government for the duration of the 44th Parliament, which comprised National's second term in office. The other three parties present at the start of the 44th Parliament, being the Labour Party, the Alliance, and New Zealand First, all remained in opposition.
The 44th Parliament consisted of ninety-nine representatives, two more than the previous Parliament. All of these representatives were chosen by single-member geographical electorates, including four special Māori electorates.
From 1991 to 1996—including the entirety of the 44th term of Parliament—MPs met in a debating chamber in Bowen House while Parliament House was being refurbished.

## Overview of seats

The table below shows the number of MPs in each party following the 1993 election and at dissolution:
| Affiliation | Affiliation | Members | Members |
| Affiliation | Affiliation | At 1993 election | At dissolution |
| | National | 50 | 41 |
| | United NZ | – | 7 |
| | Conservatives | – | 1 |
| | Christian Democrats | – | 1 |
| | Independent | – | 1 |
| Government total | Government total | 50 | 51 |
| | Labour | 45 | 41 |
| | NZ First | 2 | 5 |
| | Alliance | 2 | 2 |
| Opposition total | Opposition total | 49 | 48 |
| Total | Total | 99 | 99 |
| Working Government majority | Working Government majority | 1 | 3 |
Notes
* The Working Government majority is calculated as all Government MPs less all other parties.
* ^CS The Green Party entered a confidence and supply agreement with the Labour-Alliance coalition

## Initial composition of the 44th Parliament

The table below shows the results of the 1993 general election by electorate:
Key
National  Labour  Alliance  NZ First  Independent
Electorate results for the 1993 New Zealand general election :
| Electorate | Incumbent | Incumbent | Winner | Winner | Majority | Runner up |
| General electorates ||||||||
| Albany | | Don McKinnon | Don McKinnon | Don McKinnon | 3,651 | Jill Jeffs |
| Auckland Central | | Richard Prebble | | Sandra Lee | 1,291 | Richard Prebble |
| Avon | | Larry Sutherland | Larry Sutherland | Larry Sutherland | 5,643 | Marie Venning |
| Awarua | | Jeff Grant | | Eric Roy | 2,236 | Olivia Scaletti-Longley |
| Birkenhead | | Ian Revell | Ian Revell | Ian Revell | 104 | Ann Hartley |
| Christchurch Central | | Lianne Dalziel | Lianne Dalziel | Lianne Dalziel | 6,189 | Andrew Rowe |
| Christchurch North | | Mike Moore | Mike Moore | Mike Moore | 6,024 | Lee Morgan |
| Clutha | | Robin Gray | Robin Gray | Robin Gray | 4,117 | Jeff Buchanan |
| Dunedin North | | Pete Hodgson | Pete Hodgson | Pete Hodgson | 3,794 | Hugh Perkins |
| Dunedin West | | Clive Matthewson | Clive Matthewson | Clive Matthewson | 4,477 | Ollie Turner |
| East Coast Bays | | Murray McCully | Murray McCully | Murray McCully | 4,516 | Heather-Anne McConachy |
| Eastern Bay of Plenty | New electorate | New electorate | | Tony Ryall | 806 | Diane Collins |
| Eastern Hutt | | Paul Swain | Paul Swain | Paul Swain | 4,718 | Peter MacMillan |
| Eden | | Christine Fletcher | Christine Fletcher | Christine Fletcher | 3,394 | Verna Smith |
| Far North | New electorate | New electorate | | John Carter | 3,425 | Maryanne Baker |
| Fendalton | | Philip Burdon | Philip Burdon | Philip Burdon | 4,982 | Tony Day |
| Franklin | New electorate | New electorate | | Bill Birch | 3,543 | Judy Bischoff |
| Gisborne | | Wayne Kimber | | Janet Mackey | 1,068 | Wayne Kimber |
| Glenfield | | Peter Hilt | Peter Hilt | Peter Hilt | 1,983 | Ann Batten |
| Hamilton East | | Tony Steel | | Dianne Yates | 80 | Tony Steel |
| Hamilton West | | Grant Thomas | | Martin Gallagher | 449 | Grant Thomas |
| Hastings | | Jeff Whittaker | | Rick Barker | 2,571 | Cynthia Bowers |
| Hauraki | New electorate | New electorate | | Warren Kyd | 1,870 | Jeanette Fitzsimons |
| Hawkes Bay | | Michael Laws | Michael Laws | Michael Laws | 3,143 | Peter Reynolds |
| Henderson | New electorate | New electorate | | Jack Elder | 2,130 | David Jorgensen |
| Heretaunga | | Peter McCardle | Peter McCardle | Peter McCardle | 832 | Heather Simpson |
| Hobson | | Ross Meurant | Ross Meurant | Ross Meurant | 2,697 | Frank Grover |
| Horowhenua | | Hamish Hancock | | Judy Keall | 2,347 | Hamish Hancock |
| Howick | New electorate | New electorate | | Trevor Rogers | 5,754 | James Clarke |
| Invercargill | | Rob Munro | | Mark Peck | 1,174 | Rob Munro |
| Island Bay | | Elizabeth Tennet | Elizabeth Tennet | Elizabeth Tennet | 5,422 | Chris Shields |
| Kaimai | | Robert Anderson | Robert Anderson | Robert Anderson | 372 | Peter Brown |
| Kaipara | | Lockwood Smith | Lockwood Smith | Lockwood Smith | 2,958 | Rosalie Steward |
| Kapiti | | Roger Sowry | Roger Sowry | Roger Sowry | 1,038 | Rob Calder |
| King Country | | Jim Bolger | Jim Bolger | Jim Bolger | 4,506 | Murray Simpson |
| Lyttelton | | Gail McIntosh | | Ruth Dyson | 677 | David Carter |
| Manawatu | | Hamish MacIntyre | | Jill White | 164 | Gray Baldwin |
| Māngere | | David Lange | David Lange | David Lange | 5,958 | Len Richards |
| Manurewa | | George Hawkins | George Hawkins | George Hawkins | 4,014 | Mark Chalmers |
| Marlborough | | Doug Kidd | Doug Kidd | Doug Kidd | 2,548 | Ron Howard |
| Matakana | New electorate | New electorate | | Graeme Lee | 893 | John Neill |
| Matamata | | John Luxton | John Luxton | John Luxton | 5,977 | John Pemberton |
| Miramar | | Graeme Reeves | | Annette King | 2,595 | Graeme Reeves |
| Mount Albert | | Helen Clark | Helen Clark | Helen Clark | 4,656 | Vanessa Brown |
| Napier | | Geoff Braybrooke | Geoff Braybrooke | Geoff Braybrooke | 4,926 | Colleen Pritchard |
| Nelson | | John Blincoe | John Blincoe | John Blincoe | 2,007 | Margaret Emerre |
| New Lynn | | Jonathan Hunt | Jonathan Hunt | Jonathan Hunt | 1,598 | Cliff Robinson |
| New Plymouth | | John Armstrong | | Harry Duynhoven | 3,126 | John Armstrong |
| North Shore | | Bruce Cliffe | Bruce Cliffe | Bruce Cliffe | 4,723 | Joel Cayford |
| Onehunga | | Grahame Thorne | | Richard Northey | 407 | Grahame Thorne |
| Onslow | New electorate | New electorate | | Peter Dunne | 1,065 | George Mathew |
| Otago | | Warren Cooper | Warren Cooper | Warren Cooper | 3,220 | Janet Yiakmis |
| Otara | | Trevor Rogers | | Taito Phillip Field | 5,981 | Shane Frith |
| Pahiatua | | John Falloon | John Falloon | John Falloon | 5,178 | Margo Martindale |
| Pakuranga | | Maurice Williamson | Maurice Williamson | Maurice Williamson | 5,460 | Heather MacKay |
| Palmerston North | | Steve Maharey | Steve Maharey | Steve Maharey | 3,764 | Barbara Stones |
| Panmure | | Judith Tizard | Judith Tizard | Judith Tizard | 3,277 | Bruce Jesson |
| Papakura | | John Robertson | John Robertson | John Robertson | 484 | Nancy Hawks |
| Papatoetoe | | Ross Robertson | Ross Robertson | Ross Robertson | 5,977 | Jim Wild |
| Pencarrow | | Sonja Davies | | Trevor Mallard | 2,641 | Rosemarie Thomas |
| Porirua | | Graham Kelly | Graham Kelly | Graham Kelly | 6,713 | Lagi Sipeli |
| Raglan | | Simon Upton | Simon Upton | Simon Upton | 4,540 | Bill Harris |
| Rakaia | New electorate | New electorate | | Jenny Shipley | 4,540 | John Howie |
| Rangiora | | Jim Gerard | Jim Gerard | Jim Gerard | 4,469 | Maureen Little |
| Rangitīkei | | Denis Marshall | Denis Marshall | Denis Marshall | 3,422 | Bob Peck |
| Remuera | | Doug Graham | Doug Graham | Doug Graham | 8,619 | Mary Tierney |
| Roskill | | Gilbert Myles | | Phil Goff | 2,205 | Allan Spence |
| Rotorua | | Paul East | Paul East | Paul East | 429 | Keith Ridings |
| Selwyn | | Ruth Richardson | Ruth Richardson | Ruth Richardson | 888 | Ron Mark |
| St Albans | | David Caygill | David Caygill | David Caygill | 3,425 | Raewyn Dawson |
| St Kilda | | Michael Cullen | Michael Cullen | Michael Cullen | 5,071 | Leah McBey |
| Sydenham | | Jim Anderton | Jim Anderton | Jim Anderton | 7,476 | Greg Coyle |
| Tāmaki | | Clem Simich | Clem Simich | Clem Simich | 7,951 | Richard Green |
| Taranaki | | Roger Maxwell | Roger Maxwell | Roger Maxwell | 4,871 | Stephen Wood |
| Tarawera | | Max Bradford | Max Bradford | Max Bradford | 4,155 | Gordon Dickson |
| Tasman | | Nick Smith | Nick Smith | Nick Smith | 4,059 | Geoff Rowling |
| Tauranga | | Winston Peters | | Winston Peters | 7,924 | John Cronin |
| Te Atatū | | Brian Neeson | | Chris Carter | 1,388 | Laila Harré |
| Timaru | | Maurice McTigue | | Jim Sutton | 2,940 | Maurice McTigue |
| Titirangi | | Marie Hasler | | Suzanne Sinclair | 340 | Marie Hasler |
| Tongariro | | Ian Peters | | Mark Burton | 1,951 | Ian Peters |
| Waikaremoana | | Roger McClay | Roger McClay | Roger McClay | 4,021 | Gregg Sheehan |
| Waikato | | Rob Storey | Rob Storey | Rob Storey | 2,286 | Susan Moore |
| Waipa | | Katherine O'Regan | Katherine O'Regan | Katherine O'Regan | 3,730 | John Kilbride |
| Wairarapa | | Wyatt Creech | Wyatt Creech | Wyatt Creech | 2,229 | Peter Teahan |
| Waitakere | New electorate | New electorate | | Brian Neeson | 3,180 | Barbara Hutchinson |
| Waitaki | | Alec Neill | Alec Neill | Alec Neill | 53 | Bruce Albiston |
| Waitotara | | Peter Gresham | Peter Gresham | Peter Gresham | 4,545 | K F Lehmstedt |
| Wallace | | Bill English | Bill English | Bill English | 5,578 | Lesley Soper |
| Wanganui | | Cam Campion | | Jill Pettis | 3,371 | Gael Donoghue |
| Wellington-Karori | New electorate | New electorate | | Pauline Gardiner | 480 | Chris Laidlaw |
| West Coast | | Margaret Moir | | Damien O'Connor | 2,920 | Margaret Moir |
| Western Hutt | | Joy Quigley | Joy Quigley | Joy Quigley | 1,542 | Vern Walsh |
| Whangarei | | John Banks | John Banks | John Banks | 1,587 | Mark Furey |
| Yaldhurst | | Margaret Austin | Margaret Austin | Margaret Austin | 2,997 | David Watson |
| Māori electorates ||||||||
| Eastern Maori | | Peter Tapsell | Peter Tapsell | Peter Tapsell | 6,666 | Alamein Kopu |
| Northern Maori | | Bruce Gregory | | Tau Henare | 416 | Bruce Gregory |
| Southern Maori | | Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan | Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan | Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan | 6,340 | Jules Parkinson |
| Western Maori | | Koro Wētere | Koro Wētere | Koro Wētere | 3,777 | Ricky Taiaroa |
Table footnotes:
* ↑ Hamish MacIntyre left National in 1992, joining the Liberal Party which became part of the Alliance
* ↑ Gilbert Myles left National in 1991, becoming Independent, then joining the Liberal Party, which became part of the Alliance, finally New Zealand First in 1992–93
* ↑ Winston Peters had been an Independent since the 1993 by-election.
* ↑ Albiston was first on election night for Waitaki, but lost when special votes were included
* ↑ Campion became an Independent on 3 March 1993

## Changes during 44th Parliament

There was one by-election held during the term of the 44th Parliament.
By-elections during 44th Parliament :
| Electorate and by-election | Electorate and by-election | Date | Incumbent | Incumbent | Cause | Winner | Winner |
| Selwyn | 1994 | 13 August | | Ruth Richardson | Resignation | | David Carter |

### Summary of changes during term

Governmental arrangements during the 44th Parliament :
| Period | Government | Confidence and supply |
| 1993–1994 | National | |
| 1994 | National-Right of Centre | |
| 1994–1995 | National-Right of Centre | Future New Zealand |
| 1995 | National-Right of Centre | United NZ, Christian Democrat |
| 1995–1996 | National-United NZ | Christian Democrat, Conservative, Independent |
* Ruth Richardson, the National Party MP for Selwyn, quit Parliament in August 1994, having been replaced as Minister of Finance the previous year. Her departure prompted a by-election in Selwyn, which was won by David Carter of the National Party.
* Peter Dunne, the Labour Party MP for Onslow, left his party in October 1994, believing that Labour was becoming increasingly left-wing. He was an independent for a time before founding the small Future New Zealand party. He would later join with United (see below).
* Ross Meurant, the National Party MP for Hobson, left his party in September 1994, having clashed on a number of issues with the party's leadership. He eventually established the Right of Centre party.
* Graeme Lee, the National Party MP for Matakana, left his party in 1994, partly due to policy disputes with its leadership and partly due to having lost his Cabinet post in a reshuffle. He founded a new party which eventually became the Christian Democrat Party.
* Trevor Rogers, the National Party MP for Howick, left his party in June 1995, after disputes regarding policy issues with the party's leadership. He joined Ross Meurant's new party.
* A group of centrist MPs from both the National Party and the Labour Party, along with Peter Dunne and his Future New Zealand party, established a centrist party named United New Zealand in June 1995. The MPs who founded United were Margaret Austin, Bruce Cliffe, Peter Dunne, Clive Matthewson, Pauline Gardiner, Peter Hilt, and John Robertson.
* Ross Meurant, founder of Right of Centre, came into conflict with his own party (now renamed the Conservatives) in February 1996, and left the party to become an independent again. Trevor Rogers, the sole remaining MP, became leader.
* Jack Elder, the Labour Party MP for Henderson, Peter McCardle, the National Party MP for Heretaunga, and Michael Laws, the National Party MP for Hawke's Bay, all left their parties to join New Zealand First in April 1996.
* Michael Laws, the New Zealand First (originally National) MP for Hawkes Bay, resigned from Parliament after the so-called "Antoinette Beck" controversy. Rather than hold a by-election, the Prime Minister simply brought the 1996 general election forward slightly, as the rules allow that if a general election is approaching, a vacant seat need not be filled immediately.