39th New Zealand Parliament

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39th Parliament of New Zealand
38th Parliament 40th Parliament
Parliament House, Wellington, New Zealand (50).JPG
Overview
Legislative body New Zealand Parliament
Term16 May 1979 – 23 October 1981
Election 1978 New Zealand general election
Government Third National Government
House of Representatives
39th New Zealand Parliament Seating.png
Members92
Speaker of the House Richard Harrison
Leader of the House David Thomson
Prime Minister Robert Muldoon
Leader of the Opposition Bill Rowling
Sovereign
Monarch Elizabeth II
Governor-General David Beattie from 6 November 1980
Keith Holyoake until 25 October 1980
Sessions
1st16 May 1979 – 14 December 1979
2nd15 May 1980 – 12 December 1980
3rd28 May 1981 – 23 October 1981

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.

Contents

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:

AffiliationMembers
At 1978 election At dissolution
National 5150
Government total
Labour 4040
Social Credit 12
Opposition total4142
Total
9292
Working Government majority108

Notes

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

Table footnotes:

  1. The election of Malcolm Douglas in Hunua was overturned by the Electoral Court on 24 May 1979
  2. Gerald O'Brien came third standing as Independent Labour
  3. 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-electionDateIncumbentCauseWinner
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

Notes

  1. Bohan 2004, p. 67.
  2. Chapman 1999, p. 208.
  3. Gustafson 1986, p. 284.
  4. Norton 1988, p. 368.

References