New Democratic Party (New Zealand)

{{Infobox political party

|country = New Zealand

|name = New Democratic Party

|colorcode = {{party color|New Democratic Party (New Zealand)}}

|logo =

|leader =

|founder = John O'Brien

|foundation = 14 May 1972

|dissolution = c. 1976

|split = Social Credit Party

|merged =

|ideology = {{nowrap|Social credit}}

|position = Centre-right

|international =

|seats1_title =

|seats1 =

|slogan =

|headquarters =

|website =

}}

The New Democratic Party of New Zealand was a small political party established in 1972. It was a splinter group from the better-known Social Credit Party.

History

It was founded by former Social Credit leader John O'Brien. O'Brien was considered a powerful and energetic orator, but had a controversial and aggressive leadership style, and alienated many of his followers. After being replaced as leader by Bruce Beetham, O'Brien quit the Social Credit Party with his deputy Tom Weal and established his own group.{{sfn|Bryant|1981|p=25}} The party's Dominion chairman was Patrick McMullan of Dunedin who, ironically, had stood against O'Brien for the Social Credit leadership in 1970.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19840608.2.107 |title=Mr Patrick McMullan |publisher=The Press |date=8 June 1984 |page=22 }}{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19700525.2.12 |title=Mr Cracknell Loses Leadership |publisher=The Press |volume=CX |issue=32305 |date=25 May 1970 |page=1 }} In the 1972 election, the New Democrats fielded eighty-six candidates (including Wilfrid Owen), but did not win any seats. The New Democrats won 0.63% of the vote, compared with 6.65% for Social Credit. O'Brien himself stood in the Nelson electorate placing last of five candidates with only 2.97% of the vote.{{sfn|Norton|1988|p=286}}

The party was still in existence in 1975 and was considering standing candidates at the 1975 election.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19750624.2.41 |title=No election decision |publisher=The Press |volume=CXV |issue=33877 |date=24 June 1975 |page=3 }} However the party did not end up standing any candidates.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19751201.2.72 |title=Returns from 16 S.I. Electorates |publisher=The Press |volume=CXV |issue=34014 |date=1 December 1975 |page=15 }}

O'Brien later sued the Social Credit Party in 1980 for defamation regarding a statement of claim against him in an article published in The Nelson Mail in 1972. A four and a half day trial was held at the Nelson courthouse where the jury found against O'Brien's $50,000 case, determining that the words in the article in question were not published to readers with authority from the party and nor did the paper infer that it was.{{cite news |title=Action Against Social Credit Lost |publisher=The New Zealand Herald |date=14 June 1980 |page=2 }}

Notes

References

{{cite book |last=Bryant |first=George |author-link= George Bryant (New Zealand politician) |title=Beetham |location= Palmerston North|year=1981 |publisher= The Dunmore Press |ISBN= 0-908564-73-2}}
{{cite book |last = Norton |first = Clifford |title = New Zealand Parliamentary Election Results 1946–1987: Occasional Publications No 1, Department of Political Science |year = 1988 |publisher = Victoria University of Wellington |location = Wellington |isbn = 0-475-11200-8}}

Category:Defunct political parties in New Zealand

Category:Social Credit Party (New Zealand)

Category:Political parties established in 1972

Category:1972 establishments in New Zealand

Category:Political parties with year of disestablishment missing

Category:1976 disestablishments in New Zealand