New Zealand Labour Party
Rōpū Reipa o Aotearoa |
|
---|---|
President | Nigel Haworth |
General Secretary | Andrew Kirton |
Leader | Jacinda Ardern |
Deputy Leader | Kelvin Davis |
Founded | 7 July 1916 |
Merger of |
United Labour Party, Social Democratic Party |
Headquarters | Fraser House, 160–162 Willis St, Wellington |
Youth wing | Young Labour |
Ideology | Social democracy |
Political position | Centre-left |
International affiliation | Progressive Alliance |
Colours | Red |
Slogan | Let's Do This |
MPs in the House of Representatives |
31 / 121
|
Website | |
www.labour.org.nz | |
The New Zealand Labour Party (Māori: Rōpū Reipa o Aotearoa), or simply Labour (Reipa), is a centre-left political party in New Zealand. With its historic rival, the New Zealand National Party, Labour has been in government 5 times since the 1930s. The party's platform programme describes its founding principle as democratic socialism, while observers describe Labour as social-democratic and pragmatic in practice. It is a participant of the international Progressive Alliance.
The New Zealand Labour Party was formed in 1916 by various socialist parties and trade unions. It is thus the country's oldest political party still in existence. There have been five periods of Labour government. The party was first in power from 1935 to 1949, when it established New Zealand's welfare state. It governed from 1957 to 1960, and again from 1972 to 1975, but only stayed in for one term each. In government from 1984 to 1990, Labour privatised state assets and reduced the role of the state in the economy. It governed most recently from 1999 to 2008, with Helen Clark as party leader and Prime Minister.