2013 New Zealand Labour Party leadership election

The 2013 New Zealand Labour Party leadership election was held on 15 September 2013 to choose the fourteenth Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party. The election was won by David Cunliffe.

2013 New Zealand Labour Party leadership election
15 September 2013 (2013-09-15)
 
Candidate David Cunliffe Grant Robertson Shane Jones
Percentage 51.15% 32.97% 15.88%
Caucus 32.35% 47.06% 20.59%
Members[1] 60.14% 26.71% 13.15%
Affiliates 70.77% 17.3% 11.92%
Leader before election

David Shearer

 Leader after election

David Cunliffe

It followed the resignation of leader David Shearer on 22 August 2013. Nominations closed on 26 August 2013.[2]

It was the first leadership election the Party conducted using new party rules agreed in 2012 that allow party members to vote. The Labour Party election rules state that the vote is split among the party's caucus, party members and party affiliates (unions) in a 40/40/20 split.[2] It was also the first time a Labour leadership contest had been contested by more than two participants since 1940.

Background

On 22 August 2013 Shearer announced his resignation as party leader, explaining, "My sense is I no longer have the full confidence of many of my caucus colleagues".[3][4]

Candidates

Deputy leader Grant Robertson declared he would contest the leadership on 25 August.[5] Former union leader Andrew Little announced he would not contest the leadership vote on the same day.[6] Robertson was nominated by Megan Woods and Jacinda Ardern.[7]

List MP Shane Jones declared he would contest the leadership on 26 August.[8] At a news conference later that day, MP for New Lynn David Cunliffe, declared he would contest the leadership as well.[9] Cunliffe previously stood for the leadership at the 2011 leadership election, and lost to David Shearer and Grant Robertson.

Opinion polls

A TVNZ Colmar Brunton poll published on 25 August found David Cunliffe led the potential contenders with 29% of the popular vote and 32% of Labour Party members, followed by Jacinda Ardern on 15%, Shane Jones on 11%, Grant Robertson on 10% and Andrew Little on 9%.[10] A Research Now poll released by 3 News on 6 September among the public returned 39.6% support for Cunliffe, 31.6% for Jones and 28.8% for Robertson.[11] On 8 September TVNZ published a poll which asked which candidate respondents thought would be most likely to lead the Labour Party at the 2014 election. David Cunliffe was on 39%, Shane Jones on 18% and Grant Robertson on 15%.[12]

Campaign

The first televised debate was held between the candidates on Maori Television on 26 August. A series of 12 candidates meetings will be held throughout the country for Labour Party members.[13] Controversially, all candidates made use of their ability to fly around the country out of the Parliamentary Service's budget.[13]

Result

Overall
Candidate Caucus (40%) Members (40%) Unions (20%) Total (%)
Votes % Votes %
David Cunliffe 11 32.35 3,243 60.14 70.77 51.15
Grant Robertson 16 47.06 1,440 26.71 17.30 32.97
Shane Jones 7 20.59 709 13.15 11.92 15.88
Total 34 100 5,392 100 100 100

Source:[14][15]

Unions

Members of the Service & Food Workers Union directly voted in the election, while union delegates voted in the other five unions.[15]

Candidate Dairy Workers Union Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union Maritime Union Meat Workers Union Rail & Maritime Transport Union Service & Food Workers Union Total (%)
Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %
David Cunliffe 33 84.62 35 71.43 15 93.75 22 75.86 18 78.26 254 51.11 70.77
Grant Robertson 0 0.00 8 22.86 0 0.00 1 3.45 3 13.04 177 35.61 17.30
Shane Jones 6 15.38 2 5.71 1 6.25 6 20.69 2 8.70 66 13.28 11.92
Total 39 100 35 100 16 100 29 100 23 100 497 100 100
gollark: Oh hey, heav is probably here now, we can technically run interviews.
gollark: I'm sure you'd like to think so.
gollark: We feed all the messages in it to a logger in Site Null.
gollark: You infiltrated the decoy.
gollark: You're not on this project, bee.

References
  1. Watkins, Tracy; Fox, Michael; Vance, Andrea (15 September 2013). "Cunliffe wins Labour leadership". Stuff.co.nz (Fairfax New Zealand). Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  2. "Date confirmed for new Labour leader". The New Zealand Herald. APN News & Media. 23 August 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  3. Watkins, Tracy; Small, Vernon; Fox, Michael (22 August 2013). "David Shearer quits as Labour leader". Fairfax New Zealand. Archived from the original on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  4. Trevett, Claire (22 August 2013). "Labour leader David Shearer steps down". The New Zealand Herald. APN News & Media. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  5. "Grant Robertson to contest leadership". The New Zealand Herald. APN News & Media. 25 August 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  6. "Little won't stand for Labour leadership". 3 News. MediaWorks New Zealand. 25 August 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  7. "Who is your choice for Labour leader?". The New Zealand Herald. APN News & Media. 29 August 2013. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  8. "Shane Jones joins Labour leadership race". 26 August 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  9. "David Cunliffe standing for Labour leadership". ONE News. Television New Zealand. 26 August 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  10. "Grant Robertson confirms bid for Labour leadership". One News. TVNZ. 25 August 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  11. New Zealand Press Association (6 September 2013). "Labour leadership: Surprise poll result". The New Zealand Herald. APN News & Media. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  12. TVNZ (8 September 2013). "Labour Leader Poll Result". Scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
  13. "Labour leadership campaign you're paying for". 26 August 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  14. "New Labour leader is David Cunliffe" (Press release). New Zealand Labour Party. Scoop. 15 September 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
  15. Rutherford, Hamish (26 September 2014). "Does Grant Robertson have the numbers?". Stuff.co.nz. Archived from the original on 29 September 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
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