New Zealand Labour Party leadership election, 1974
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Hugh Watt (interim)
The New Zealand Labour Party leadership election, 1974 was held on 6 September 1974 to determine the eighth leader of the New Zealand Labour Party. The election was won by Tasman MP Bill Rowling.
Prime Minister and incumbent Labour party leader Norman Kirk died unexpectedly on 31 August 1974. Kirk's deputy Hugh Watt served as the Prime Minister and leader for several days on an interim basis until a new leader could be elected. Finance Minister Bill Rowling quickly found himself the front-runner in caucus, whilst both Labour's National Executive and the Federation of Labour preferred Hugh Watt.
Rowling was serving as Minister of Finance in Kirk's cabinet. He was officially nominated by Southern Maori MP Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan. President of the New Zealand Federation of Labour, and good friend of Hugh Watt, Tom Skinner attempted to talk Rowling into standing down as a candidate, however the attempt backfired and helped Rowling make up his mind that he would accept a nomination, though he stopped actively lobbying for further support. After Kirk's funeral he told Warren Freer that he would have liked another year or two in cabinet to gain more experience, but had decided to put his name forward. Rowling favoured Colin Moyle as deputy, while Freer preferred Bob Tizard as tough enough to face up to Muldoon; neither wanted Arthur Faulkner who was indecisive and delayed making decisions.
Watt was the interim Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister under Kirk, and had served as the party's deputy leader since 1963 first under Arnold Nordmeyer (1963–65) and then under Kirk (1965–74). Watt was favoured by the party executive as well as having the backing of the trade unions. He was officially nominated by Island Bay MP Gerald O'Brien. Many in the parliamentary party, however, felt at 61 he was too old and that Labour needed a younger leader.
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