New Zealand Democratic Coalition

The New Zealand Democratic Coalition was a proposed moderate political party intended to contest the 1996 General Election. It would have been led by former Prime Minister Mike Moore and was intended to capture the balance of power on election night. Ultimately it was not registered and Moore stayed with Labour for the 1996 election.

Following a push for Electoral reform in New Zealand, a referendum was held alongside the 1993 general election that gave voters a choice between the current electoral system, First Past the Post, and the Mixed Member Proportional system. This created opportunities for many smaller parties to be formed and win representation in parliament.

Mike Moore had been replaced as Labour party leader following the party's defeat in the 1993 election. Michael Laws had become a rebel backbencher in the National Party caucus since his former boss, Winston Peters, had left the party in 1992.

Early in 1994 Michael Laws and Mike Moore appear on TVNZ's current affairs programme Fraser together. Here they discuss the opportunities for a new centre party on air. The two reportedly decide afterwards that they should meet again to further discuss this opportunity. A meeting between Moore and Michelle Boag was organised in "late 1994" by Laws to discuss the potential of National Party donors financing a new Centre party. In 1995 meetings in Wellington between five interested MPs began. These were reportedly centered around the Yangtze restaurant in Wellington. Mike Moore was still uncommitted to the project however. Involved in the discussions were;

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