New Zealand Labour Party
|
New Zealand Labour Party
Rōpū Reipa o Aotearoa |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| President | Nigel Haworth |
| Secretary-General | Andrew Kirton |
| Leader | Andrew Little |
| Deputy Leader | Annette King |
| Founded | 7 July 1916 |
| Merger of |
United Labour Party Social Democratic Party |
| Headquarters | Fraser House, 160-162 Willis St, Wellington |
| Youth wing | Young Labour |
| Ideology | Social democracy |
| Political position | Centre-left |
| International affiliation | Progressive Alliance |
| Colours | Red |
| Slogan | Backing the Kiwi Dream |
| MPs in the House of Representatives |
32 / 121
|
| Wellington City Council |
4 / 15
|
| Website | |
| www.labour.org.nz | |
The New Zealand Labour Party (Māori: Rōpū Reipa o Aotearoa), or simply Labour (Reipa), is a centre-left political party in New Zealand. The party was formed in 1916, making it New Zealand's oldest extant political party. With its historic rival, the New Zealand National Party, Labour has dominated New Zealand governments since the 1930s. Labour currently promotes a social-democratic platform.
Labour most recently formed a government from 1999 to 2008 with Helen Clark as party leader and Prime Minister. Since the party's defeat in the 2008 general election, Labour has comprised the second-largest caucus represented in the New Zealand Parliament; it functions as the core of the Official Parliamentary Opposition.
Labour has had four leaders whilst in opposition to the National Party-led government. This turnover has at least in part been due to changes within public media and the political environment during this time. On 18 November 2014 Andrew Little was confirmed outside of Parliament and in a press conference as the new leader of Labour.
Labour's 1916 policy objectives called for "the socialisation of the means of production, distribution and exchange", including state ownership of major parts of the economy. Up to the 1980s Labour remained a party that believed in a strong role for governments in economic and social matters. However, it had been transformed from a trade union-dominated, socialist-oriented movement to a moderate social-democratic party. The Labour Government of the 1980s deviated sharply from a social-democratic path. In a series of economic reforms dubbed "Rogernomics" (after Finance Minister Roger Douglas), the Government removed a swathe of regulations and subsidies, privatised state assets and introduced corporate practices to state services.
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