New Zealand National Party facts for kids

Quick facts for kids New Zealand National Party Rōpū Nāhinara o Aotearoa
President	Sylvia Wood
Leader	Christopher Luxon
Deputy Leader	Nicola Willis
Founded	14 May 1936; 89 years ago (1936-05-14)
Preceded by	United–Reform Coalition
Headquarters	41 Pipitea Street, Thorndon, Wellington 6011
Youth wing	Young Nationals
Ideology	Liberalism (New Zealand) Conservatism (New Zealand)
Political position	Centre-right
Regional affiliation	Asia Pacific Democracy Union
International affiliation	International Democracy Union
Colours	Blue
Slogan	"Get our country back on track"
MPs in the House of Representatives	49 / 123
Website
www.national.org.nz
Politics of New Zealand

The New Zealand National Party (Māori: Rōpū Nāhinara o Aotearoa), often called National (Nāhinara) or the Nats, is a centre-right political party in New Zealand. It is currently the party in charge of the government. National is one of the two main parties that have led New Zealand for a long time, along with the Labour Party.

The National Party started in 1936. It was formed when two older parties, the Reform Party and the United Party, joined together. These parties had worked together before to go against the growing labour movement (groups working for workers' rights). The National Party is now the second-oldest political party still active in New Zealand. It has been in government for more years than any other New Zealand party.

After the 1949 election, Sidney Holland became the first Prime Minister from the National Party. He was Prime Minister until 1957. Keith Holyoake took over but lost the election later that year. Holyoake became Prime Minister again from 1960 to 1972. Later, Robert Muldoon led the National government from 1975 to 1984. In 1990, Jim Bolger formed another National government. This government continued to make big changes to the economy, focusing on free-market ideas. Since then, the party has supported businesses, lower taxes, and less government control.

After the 1996 election, the National Party worked with the New Zealand First Party to form a government. Jenny Shipley became New Zealand's first female Prime Minister in 1997. Her government was defeated in 1999.

The National Party was in government from 2008 to 2017. During this time, John Key and then Bill English were Prime Ministers. They worked with other smaller parties to lead the country. In the 2017 election, National won the most votes but could not form a government. They became the main opposition party. In the 2020 election, they won fewer votes and seats, remaining in opposition.

Christopher Luxon became the leader of the National Party on 30 November 2021. He led the party to win the 2023 election. Since November 2023, Luxon has been the Prime Minister, leading a government with the ACT Party and New Zealand First.

History of the National Party

How the Party Started

The National Party was officially formed in May 1936. But its story began much earlier. It was created by joining the United Party and the Reform Party. The United Party was popular in cities and got support from businesses and middle-class voters. The Reform Party had its main support in the countryside, especially from farmers.

Historically, these two parties were rivals. However, from 1931 to 1935, they worked together in a group called the United–Reform Coalition. They called themselves the "National Political Federation" for the 1935 election. They wanted to show they represented all New Zealanders. But because of the Great Depression and people thinking the government handled it badly, they lost the election badly to the Labour Party. The Labour Party was becoming very strong, which made the United and Reform parties decide to join forces.

Adam Hamilton was the first leader of the National Party.

To fight against Labour's growing power, United and Reform decided to become one party. This new party, the New Zealand National Party, was formed in Wellington on 13 and 14 May 1936. George Forbes, who was the last leader of the United Party and Prime Minister until 1935, opened the meeting. He was the Leader of the Opposition for a few months. Then, Adam Hamilton, a former Reform Party member, became the first leader of the new party. He was chosen as a compromise between Forbes and Reform leader Gordon Coates. Hamilton led the party into its first election in 1938. He struggled against Labour's popular Prime Minister, Michael Joseph Savage. Because of this, and a feeling that he was controlled by Coates, Hamilton could not stop Labour from winning again in 1938.

In 1940, Sidney Holland took over from Hamilton. In the 1943 election, National reduced Labour's lead. In the 1946 election, National gained more ground. Finally, in the 1949 election, thirteen years after it started, the National Party won power. Sidney Holland became Prime Minister.

National's First Time in Government (1949–1957)

Sir Sidney Holland was the first National Prime Minister, 1949–1957

Sidney Holland was both Prime Minister and finance minister. In 1949, National had promised to support private businesses. Once in power, the Holland government kept many things the same, like compulsory unions and the welfare state (government support for people) that the Labour government had set up.

In 1951, there was a big dockworkers' strike that lasted for 151 days. The National government got involved, opposing the unions. Holland used this chance to call a quick election. He campaigned against communism and won with more seats.

In the 1954 election, National won a third term, but with fewer seats. Towards the end of his term, Holland became very ill and stepped down. Keith Holyoake, the party's deputy leader, took his place. However, Holyoake didn't have enough time to become well-known as Prime Minister. He lost the election that year to Labour, led by Walter Nash.

National's Second Time in Government (1960–1972)

Sir Keith Holyoake, Prime Minister, 1957 and 1960–1972

Nash's Labour government became very unpopular, especially after its 1958 Budget, which many saw as harsh. After only one term, Labour lost to Holyoake and the National Party in the 1960 election.

Holyoake's government lasted twelve years. The party won elections three more times (in 1963, 1966, and 1969). Holyoake retired in early 1972, and his deputy, Jack Marshall, became the new leader.

Marshall faced the same problem as Holyoake. He took over from an experienced leader just before an election and didn't have enough time to make his mark. Marshall also had to compete against the very popular Labour leader Norman Kirk. National lost the election that year.

National's Third Time in Government (1975–1984)

Sir Robert Muldoon, Prime Minister, 1975–1984

Within two years, the National Party replaced Marshall with Robert Muldoon, who had been the finance minister. Muldoon was a strong leader. When Kirk became ill and died in 1974, his replacement, Bill Rowling, could not match Muldoon. In the 1975 election, National, led by Muldoon, easily returned to power.

Muldoon's government believed in the government having a strong role in the economy. His "Think Big" projects aimed to make New Zealand more energy independent by investing public money. Muldoon's leadership style was very strong and became unpopular with both the public and his own party. There was even an attempt to replace him as leader in 1980, but it failed.

A former National Party logo, used during the Muldoon era

Under Muldoon, National won three elections in a row: 1975, 1978, and 1981. However, people became more and more unhappy. In the 1978 and 1981 elections, National actually got fewer votes than Labour. But because of the old "First Past the Post" voting system, they still won enough seats to form a government.

Disagreement within the National Party continued to grow. Some National MPs, like Marilyn Waring, caused problems for the leadership. In 1984, when Marilyn Waring refused to support Muldoon's policies on nuclear ships, Muldoon called a snap election. National lost this election to Labour, led by David Lange.

National's Fourth Time in Government (1990–1999)

Jim Bolger, Prime Minister, 1990–1997

After this loss, Muldoon was removed as leader. Jim McLay became the new leader, but he couldn't improve the party's standing. In 1986, Jim Bolger took over as leader.

In the 1990 election, National won by a huge amount and formed a new government under Jim Bolger. However, the party continued the economic changes started by the previous Labour government. These changes involved selling off government-owned businesses and removing trade barriers. These policies made some traditional National supporters unhappy.

At the 1993 election, National barely managed to stay in power. Their large lead of eighteen seats almost disappeared. For the first time since 1931, it was unclear who would form the government on election night. National eventually won one more seat, giving them a very small majority. At the same time, New Zealand voted to change its voting system to MMP. This new system would have a big impact on New Zealand politics.

Some National Party MPs left to form new groups. Because of the new MMP voting system, the New Zealand First party, led by former National MP Winston Peters, held the power to decide who would form the government after the 1996 election. After long talks, New Zealand First decided to form a coalition government with National.

Dame Jenny Shipley, Prime Minister, 1997–1999

In 1997, Jenny Shipley replaced Bolger as National's leader. Relations between National and New Zealand First quickly got worse. After Shipley removed Peters from her group of ministers, New Zealand First split. Some MPs stayed with the government, allowing National to continue. The National government managed to finish its term, but it lost the election to Labour, led by Helen Clark. National then spent nine years in opposition.

National in Opposition (1999–2008)

Shipley continued to lead the National Party until 2001, when Bill English took over. English struggled against Helen Clark, and National had its worst election result ever in the 2002 election, winning only 27 out of 120 seats. Many hoped English could rebuild the party, but after a year, polls showed little improvement. In October 2003, English was replaced by Don Brash.

Under Brash, the National Party's popularity grew a lot. The party gained support by focusing on issues like race relations and tax cuts. In the lead-up to the 2005 election, National campaigned strongly on cutting taxes. They won 48 out of 121 seats, becoming the second-largest party, just behind Labour. However, Labour formed a new government, and National remained the main opposition party.

After the 2005 election loss, Don Brash's leadership was questioned. He resigned on 23 November 2006, just before a book called The Hollow Men was released. This book contained damaging information from private emails. John Key became the leader of the National Party on 27 November 2006. Key tried to make the party seem more "centrist" (middle-ground), talking about issues like child poverty.

National's Fifth Time in Government (2008–2017)

Sir John Key, Prime Minister, 2008–2016

On 8 November 2008, the National Party won 58 seats in the general election. The Labour Party, which had been in power for three terms, accepted defeat, and Prime Minister Helen Clark stepped down. National formed a government with support from the ACT Party, the Māori Party, and United Future. On 19 November, the new National-led government took office.

National came to power during a worldwide financial crisis. To deal with New Zealand's rising debt, Finance Minister Bill English focused on reducing the government's spending. The government also cut taxes for everyone.

In the 26 November 2011 general election, National won 47.31% of the party vote. This was the highest percentage any party had won since the MMP voting system started. National won 59 seats and again formed a government with support from ACT and United Future. They also made an agreement with the Māori Party.

The government also planned to sell off some shares in state-owned energy companies like Genesis Energy and Meridian Energy. They also planned to sell shares in Air New Zealand. A public vote was held on these sales, and 67.3% of people voted against them.

The National Government won a third term in the 2014 general election. The National Party won 47.04% of the party vote and increased its seats to 60. National continued its agreements with ACT and United Future. The government also made doctor visits free for children under 13.

After being Prime Minister for eight years, Key announced he would resign on 5 December 2016. He stepped down as Prime Minister on 12 December. Key's deputy, Bill English, became the party's new leader.

National in Opposition (2017–2023)

In the 2017 general election, National's share of the vote dropped to 44.4%. They lost four seats, going down to 56, but were still the largest party in Parliament. However, New Zealand First, led by Winston Peters, decided to form a government with Labour and the Green Party. This ended National's nine years in government. English announced he would stay on as leader but later resigned. On 27 February 2018, Simon Bridges became the new leader.

On 22 May 2020, after poor poll results, the National Party voted to remove Simon Bridges and his deputy. Todd Muller became the new leader. Less than two months later, Muller resigned due to health reasons. This led to another leadership election, and Judith Collins became the leader. Collins led the party through the 2020 election, but the party lost many seats.

On 24 November 2021, Collins was removed as leader. Christopher Luxon was then elected as the new leader, with Nicola Willis as his deputy.

National's Sixth Time in Government (2023–present)

In the 2023 general election on 14 October, National, led by Christopher Luxon, won against the Labour Party. National won 38.08% of the votes and 48 seats. National's partner, the ACT Party, won 11 seats. Together, they had 59 seats, just short of a majority. National then formed a government with ACT and New Zealand First. This was the first time three parties formed a coalition government under the MMP system.

What the National Party Believes In

The New Zealand National Party is often called a "broad church" because it includes different ideas. It has both conservative and liberal views, and sometimes even populist (appealing to common people) and libertarian (focused on individual freedom) ideas. All these different groups exist within the party. The early National Party was united by being against socialism, which was the main idea of the Labour Party.

The party's main beliefs include:

• Being loyal to New Zealand, its democratic rules, and the King or Queen as Head of State.
• Recognizing the Treaty of Waitangi as the founding document of New Zealand.
• Keeping the country and people safe.
• Believing in equal rights and chances for everyone.
• Supporting individual freedom and choice.
• Encouraging personal responsibility.
• Believing in competitive businesses and rewarding success.
• Wanting limited government involvement.
• Supporting strong families and caring communities.
• Developing the environment in a way that can last for a long time.

National supports a basic welfare state (government help for those in need). But they also believe that hard work, new ideas, and personal effort should be encouraged to reduce unemployment and help the economy grow. In 1959, party leader and Prime Minister Keith Holyoake said that National believes in:

• The most personal freedom and individual choice for people.
• The least necessary interference with individual rights.
• The least possible government involvement.

Historically, National supported more government involvement than it does now. The first three National governments (from the 1950s to the 1980s) generally tried to keep New Zealand's economy and society stable. They kept many of the protections and the strong welfare state built by the First Labour Government. The last big government project was Prime Minister Robert Muldoon's "Think Big" plan. This plan aimed to make New Zealand energy independent after the 1973 oil crisis.

In contrast, the Fourth National Government (1990–1999) continued the big free-market changes started by the previous Labour government. These changes involved selling many government-owned businesses and removing rules for businesses. The Fifth National Government (2008–2017) took a more middle-ground approach.

Who Votes for National

The National Party's main supporters have traditionally been European New Zealanders (Pākehā), people with conservative social views, and voters from rural areas. However, they also try to get support from other groups. National is known for favoring farmers and businesses more than Labour.

How the National Party is Organized

National Party election campaigners in Kaikōura, 2014

In the 1930s, National started to build a large membership with many supporters across the country. By the mid-1970s, they claimed to have about 200,000 members. Since 1981, National (and Labour) has seen its membership decrease. By the early 2000s, the party had fewer than 30,000 members.

National has local groups in different areas and regions. The party used to be very decentralized, meaning local groups had a lot of power. But after the 2002 election, where the party lost a lot of support, they decided to make the organization more centralized. This was to better suit the MMP voting system, where people vote for a party list across the whole country.

Today, a Board of Directors manages the party's affairs. This board includes the party leader, a representative from the MPs, the general manager, and seven elected members. The board chooses a party president from its members. An Annual Conference decides the party's policies and elects members to the Board. The party also has Electorate Committees in each voting area. Each committee sends delegates to the Annual Conference.

Christopher Luxon has served as the party's leader since November 2021

The leader of the National Party (currently Christopher Luxon) is chosen by the party's MPs. The leader speaks for National and manages the party's work in parliament. The president (currently Sylvia Wood) leads the party's work outside of parliament.

Within National, there are groups of members who share specific interests. For example, the Bluegreens are a group that helps create environmental policies. The party's youth group, the Young Nationals (or Young Nats), often pushes for new ideas. Sometimes, the Young Nats' more liberal views are different from those of the older party members.

National is part of the International Democracy Union (IDU) and the Asia Pacific Democrat Union (APDU). Former National Prime Minister John Key was the chairman of the IDU from 2014 to 2018.

Election Results

Election	Party votes	Total %	Seats won	Status
1938	381,081	40.30%	25 / 80	Opposition
1943	402,887	42.78%	34 / 80
1946	507,139	48.43%	38 / 80
1949	556,805	51.88%	46 / 80	Government
1951	577,630	53.99%	50 / 80
1954	485,630	44.27%	45 / 80
1957	511,699	44.21%	39 / 80	Opposition
1960	557,046	47.59%	46 / 80	Government
1963	563,875	47.12%	45 / 80
1966	525,945	43.64%	44 / 80
1969	605,960	45.22%	45 / 84
1972	581,422	41.50%	32 / 87	Opposition
1975	763,136	47.59%	55 / 87	Government
1978	680,991	39.82%	51 / 92
1981	698,508	38.77%	47 / 92
1984	692,494	35.89%	37 / 95	Opposition
1987	806,305	44.02%	40 / 97
1990	872,358	47.82%	67 / 97	Government
1993	673,892	35.05%	50 / 99	Government (minority)
Mixed-member proportional representation since 1996
1996	701,315	33.87%	44 / 120	Government (coalition)
1999	629,932	30.50%	39 / 120	Opposition
2002	425,310	20.93%	27 / 120
2005	889,813	39.10%	48 / 121
2008	1,053,398	44.93%	58 / 122	Government (minority)
2011	1,058,638	47.31%	59 / 121
2014	1,131,501	47.04%	60 / 121
2017	1,152,075	44.45%	56 / 120	Opposition
2020	738,275	25.58%	33 / 120
2023	1,085,016	38.06%	48 / 123	Government (coalition)

Party Leadership

Leaders of the National Party since 1936

Key:
      National       Labour
PM: Prime Minister
LO: Leader of the Opposition

No.	Name	Portrait	Term of Office		Position	Prime Minister
1	Adam Hamilton		2 November 1936	26 November 1940	LO 1936–1940		Savage
							Fraser
2	Sidney Holland		26 November 1940	20 September 1957	LO 1940–1949
					PM 1949–1957		Holland
3	Keith Holyoake		20 September 1957	7 February 1972	PM 1957		Holyoake
					LO 1957–1960		Nash
					PM 1960–1972		Holyoake
4	Jack Marshall		7 February 1972	4 July 1974	PM 1972		Marshall
					LO 1972–1974		Kirk
5	Robert Muldoon		4 July 1974	29 November 1984	LO 1974–1975
							Rowling
					PM 1975–1984		Muldoon
					LO 1984		Lange
6	Jim McLay		29 November 1984	26 March 1986	LO 1984–1986
7	Jim Bolger		26 March 1986	8 December 1997	LO 1986–1990
							Palmer
							Moore
					PM 1990–1997		Bolger
8	Jenny Shipley		8 December 1997	8 October 2001	PM 1997–1999		Shipley
					LO 1999–2001		Clark
9	Bill English		8 October 2001	28 October 2003	LO 2001–2003
10	Don Brash		28 October 2003	27 November 2006	LO 2003–2006
11	John Key		27 November 2006	12 December 2016	LO 2006–2008
					PM 2008–2016		Key
(9)	Bill English		12 December 2016	27 February 2018	PM 2016–2017		English
					LO 2017–2018		Ardern
12	Simon Bridges		27 February 2018	22 May 2020	LO 2018–2020
13	Todd Muller		22 May 2020	14 July 2020	LO 2020
14	Judith Collins		14 July 2020	25 November 2021	LO 2020–2021
15	Christopher Luxon		30 November 2021	Incumbent	LO 2021–2023
							Hipkins
					PM 2023–present		Luxon

Living Former Party Leaders

As of November 2021^[update], there are nine living former party leaders, as seen below.

• 

  Sir Jim McLay
  served 1984–1986
  born 1945 (age 80)

• 

  Jim Bolger
  served 1986–1997
  born 1935 (age 90)

• 

  Dame Jenny Shipley
  served 1997–2001
  born 1952 (age 73)

• 

  Sir Bill English
  served 2001–03; 2016–18
  born 1961 (age 63)

• 

  Don Brash
  served 2003–2006
  born 1940 (age 84)

• 

  Sir John Key
  served 2006–2016
  born 1961 (age 63)

• 

  Simon Bridges
  served 2018–2020
  born 1976 (age 48)

• 

  Todd Muller
  served 2020
  born 1968 (age 56)

• 

  Judith Collins
  served 2020–2021
  born 1959 (age 66)

Deputy Leaders

Party Presidents

Short biographies of all presidents up to Sue Wood appear in Barry Gustafson's The First Fifty Years.

See also

In Spanish: Partido Nacional de Nueva Zelanda para niños

• Politics of New Zealand
• List of New Zealand–related topics § Political parties
• List of conservative parties by country
• Liberal parties by country
• List of right-wing political parties