New Zealand Labour Party leadership election, 1965
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The New Zealand Labour Party leadership election, 1965 was held on 9 December 1965 to determine the future leadership of the New Zealand Labour Party. The election was won by Lyttelton MP Norman Kirk.
After Walter Nash retired as leader in 1963 Arnold Nordmeyer became Labour's 5th leader despite holding considerable public blame for Labour's loss of support after the "Black Budget. The memory of the "Black Budget" still plagued Nordmeyer's profile and many within the party believed that it was time for a fresh start. In 1965 a group of younger Labour MPs formed a group who became dedicated to replace Nordmeyer with Kirk, becoming known as the "Mafia".
Nordmeyer had led Labour since Nash's retirement nearly three years earlier. He led them in the 1963 election where Labour's vote increased slightly, but still did not perform well enough to win office. Some within Labour's caucus were of the opinion that Nordmeyer was too distant and out of touch with his colleagues and vice versa. The younger Norman Kirk eventually emerged as the favourite candidate to succeed Nordmeyer as leader.
Kirk first entered parliament in 1957. Gradually, he began to rise through Labour's internal hierarchy, becoming vice-president of the Party in 1963 and president in 1964. Other MPs often saw Kirk as a champion for ordinary New Zealanders via his working-class background at a time when ordinary voters saw many other politicians, such as Nordmeyer, out-of-touch and aloof.
A caucus vote was held on 9 December 1965 where Nordmeyer was defeated by Kirk 25 votes to 10. Nordmeyer's deputy leader, Hugh Watt, retained his position despite the change in leadership receiving 25 votes against a combined total of 7 votes for the other two nominees.
A list of each MP's vote.
Kirk's new enthusiastic leadership brought about a gradual rejuvenation in Labour's popularity. He suffered narrow election losses in 1966 and 1969 elections before finally winning office and becoming Prime Minister in 1972 election. Nordmeyer remained in Parliament for another four years, moving to the backbenches and becoming an elder statesman of the party. He retired at the 1969 election.
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