1980 Northern Maori by-election

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1980 Northern Maori by-election
← 1978 general 7 June 1980 (1980-06-07) 1981 general →
Turnout6,831 (41.38%)
 
Candidate Bruce Gregory Matiu Rata Joe Toia
Party Labour Mana Motuhake Social Credit
Popular vote 3,580 2,589 560
Percentage 52.41 37.90 8.20
Member before election

Matiu Rata
Labour

Elected Member

Bruce Gregory
Labour

The Northern Maori by-election of 1980 was a

Mana Motuhake. Rata believed that contesting a by-election would give him a mandate for his change of allegiance. In the end, however, his plan backfired when the seat was won by Bruce Gregory
, his replacement as the Labour Party candidate.

It was held the same day as another by-election in Onehunga.[1]

Candidates

Labour Party

As Northern Maori was a safe Labour seat, having held it since

Cape Reinga in the north to Panmure in the south.[2]

A total of 11 candidates were nominated:[3][4]

  • John Antonio, a social worker from Mission Bay
  • Rameka Cope, a community officer from Hokianga
  • Ivan Erstich, a truck driver from Kaitaia
  • Dr Bruce Gregory, a general practitioner from Kaitaia
  • Laly Haddon, a former Māori All Black
  • Te Kairarahi Hui, a Maori welfare officer from Auckland
  • Hemi Kingi, a teacher from Hamilton
  • Peter Love, a marketing consultant from Auckland who was previously a candidate for the National Party
  • Bertram McLean, a naval officer from Auckland
  • Jon Matthews, a schoolteacher from Kaitaia
  • William Rawiri, a branch manager from Tinopai

The selection process was completed on 4 May, where Bruce Gregory was selected.[5]

Mana Motuhake

After becoming dissatisfied with the Labour Party's Māori policies

Mana Motuhake which would advocate for Maori self-determination. To help in the establishment of the party, Rata sought a by-election to gain voter approval for his new party and its agenda.[6]

Social Credit

Anticipating that Rata would force a by-election, the Social Credit Party selected Joe Toia, a Dargaville forestry foreman, in March 1980. Toia was the Māori representative on the party's dominion council and had contested the seat at the last three elections.[7][8] Toia was previously a Labour Party member and had been beaten by Rata for the Labour nomination at the 1963 Northern Maori by-election.[9]

Others

The

joke party).[12]

Results

The following table gives the election results:

1980 Northern Maori by-election[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bruce Gregory 3,580 52.41
Mana Motuhake Matiu Rata 2,589 37.90
Social Credit Joe Toia 560 8.20
Cheer Up Wallace Hetaraka 80 1.17
Christian Democratic Tom Weal 13 0.19
Reform Party P Te W Warner 9 0.13
Majority 991 14.51
Turnout 6,831 41.38
Labour hold Swing

Notes

  1. ^ "Same day for by-elections". The New Zealand Herald. 26 April 1980. p. 1.
  2. ^ McRobie 1989, p. 138.
  3. ^ "Ex-National Man Seeks Labour Nod". The New Zealand Herald. 30 April 1980. p. 1.
  4. ^ "Two More Seek Vote". The New Zealand Herald. 1 May 1980. p. 3.
  5. ^ "Labour Going For the Doctor". The New Zealand Herald. 5 May 1980. p. 1.
  6. ^ "Matiu Rata: Biography". NZ History. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  7. ^ "Maori Socred candidate". The Press. 12 March 1980. p. 3.
  8. ^ "Labour's candidate set for Northern victory". The Press. 6 June 1980. p. 14.
  9. ^ "Candidate Next Week". The New Zealand Herald. 16 February 1963. p. 3.
  10. ^ "National Poll 'Sheer Expediency'". The New Zealand Herald. 1 May 1980. p. 3.
  11. ^ "No Values Entry". The New Zealand Herald. 8 May 1980. p. 8.
  12. ^ "Cheer up!". The Press. 28 May 1980. p. 2.
  13. ^ Norton 1988, p. 398.

References

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