Nelson by-election 1976
Encyclopedia
The Nelson by-election was a by-election
in the New Zealand
electorate of Nelson
a predominantly urban seat at the top of the South Island
.
The by-election occurred on 28 February 1976, and was precipitated by the death of sitting Labour Party
MP
and Speaker of the House Sir Stanley Whitehead
on 9 January 1976.
The by-election was contested by all major parties. It was won by Mel Courtney
, the Labour Party
candidate, with a majority of 1505 (Courtney increased the majority Whitehead had achieved in the 1975 general election by an impressive 50 per cent-only three months after the National Party's landslide victory). Wellington's Dominion newspaper reported that: "The defeat was a shock to the super-confident National Party
organisers, including some of the party's top officials who were predicting a 2000-vote National majority" .
Mel Courtney
, a 32 year old supermarket proprietor, proved "an excellent choice" as a candidate, the victory at the polls vindicated the decision of the Labour Party's selection committee. Courtney stressed Nelson's needs as a community as the major theme of his campaign. He had "lived in Nelson for a number of years", was a Nelson City Councillor and struck a chord with electors: "Nelson is a unique place to live and consequently a local person (Mr Courtney) can best serve local interests" (1976 Survey).
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
in the New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
electorate of Nelson
Nelson (New Zealand electorate)
Nelson is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. From 1853 to 1860, the electorate was called Town of Nelson. From 1860 to 1881, it was City of Nelson...
a predominantly urban seat at the top of the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
.
The by-election occurred on 28 February 1976, and was precipitated by the death of sitting Labour Party
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
and Speaker of the House Sir Stanley Whitehead
Stanley Whitehead
Sir Stanley Austin Whitehead was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party. He was the fifteenth Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1972 to 1976, and Member of Parliament for the Nelson electorate from 1957 to 1976.-Early life and family:Whitehead was born in Reefton, on the West...
on 9 January 1976.
The by-election was contested by all major parties. It was won by Mel Courtney
Mel Courtney
Melvyn Francis Courtney is a former Labour then Independent Member of Parliament for Nelson, in the South Island of New Zealand.-Member of Parliament:...
, the Labour Party
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
candidate, with a majority of 1505 (Courtney increased the majority Whitehead had achieved in the 1975 general election by an impressive 50 per cent-only three months after the National Party's landslide victory). Wellington's Dominion newspaper reported that: "The defeat was a shock to the super-confident National Party
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
organisers, including some of the party's top officials who were predicting a 2000-vote National majority" .
Mel Courtney
Mel Courtney
Melvyn Francis Courtney is a former Labour then Independent Member of Parliament for Nelson, in the South Island of New Zealand.-Member of Parliament:...
, a 32 year old supermarket proprietor, proved "an excellent choice" as a candidate, the victory at the polls vindicated the decision of the Labour Party's selection committee. Courtney stressed Nelson's needs as a community as the major theme of his campaign. He had "lived in Nelson for a number of years", was a Nelson City Councillor and struck a chord with electors: "Nelson is a unique place to live and consequently a local person (Mr Courtney) can best serve local interests" (1976 Survey).
Further reading
- "The Nelson By-Election: Politics in a New Zealand Community" by Levine, S (ed.) in Politics in New Zealand: A Reader (Sydney: George Allen and Unwin, Australia, 1978)
- "Spending the Allowance" p. 49 in Political People by Dreaver, A.J. (Auckland: Longman Paul, New Zealand, 1978)