A general election was held in New Zealand on 8 November 2008 to determine the composition of the 49th New Zealand Parliament. The liberal-conservative National Party, headed by its parliamentary leader John Key, won the largest share of votes and seats, ending nine years of government by the social-democratic Labour Party, led by Helen Clark. Key announced a week later that he would lead a National minority government with confidence-and-supply support from the ACT, United Future and Māori parties. The governor-general swore Key in as prime minister on 19 November 2008. This marked the beginning of the Fifth National Government which governed for the next nine years, until the 2017 general election, when a government was formed between the Labour and New Zealand First parties, with support on confidence and supply by the Green Party.

The Green Party became the third-largest party in Parliament, with nine seats. The ACT Party came joint-fourth (in terms of seats), increasing their number of seats from two to five, and reversing some of their losses from the 2005 election. The Māori Party also won five seats – out of the seven Māori electorates – creating an overhang of two seats. The New Zealand First party, which had seven MPs in the previous parliament, failed to win any electorates or pass the 5 per cent MMP threshold, and therefore won no seats in the new parliament.

In his victory speech, John Key announced the readiness of the ACT, Maori Party and United Future parties to co-operate with the National Party to form the next government, the Fifth National Government of New Zealand. In her concession speech, Helen Clark announced her resignation as the parliamentary leader of the Labour Party. She had led the party since 1993, and had served as prime minister since the 1999 election. 2008 saw several important political figures enter Parliament, including future finance minister Grant Robertson, future National Party leader Simon Bridges, and the next two Labour Prime Ministers, Jacinda Ardern and Chris Hipkins. Former Labour minister Roger Douglas, who stepped down in 1990 returned to parliament in this election but as a member for the ACT Party.

Dates New Zealand elections traditionally occur after September in the third year following the last election, and snap elections occur rarely; the only three elections out of sync in the period of 1948 to 2008 took place in 1951, 1984 and 2002—and the last two came only a few months early. Convention in New Zealand expects Parliaments to run for a full three years unless the government loses the confidence of the House, although this has not happened since 1911.

The Constitution Act 1986 defines the term of Parliament as "three years from the day fixed for the return of the writs issued for the last preceding general election of members of the House of Representatives, and no longer". Since the writs for the 2005 election were returned on 6 October 2005,Electoral Commission: Post-election deadlines – Election '05 Source the ensuing 48th New Zealand Parliament expired on 6 October 2008, making 15 November the final possible date for the 2008 general election.

On Friday 12 September 2008, Prime Minister Helen Clark announced that the general election would take place on 8 November 2008. This set the full election timetable as: Dissolution of parliament – Friday, 3 October 2008. Writ day – Wednesday, 8 October. Nominations day – Tuesday, 14 October. Election day – Saturday, 8 November. Official results declared and writs returned by Saturday, 22 November. The 49th Parliament must convene no later than Saturday 3 January 2009.

Political parties

Contesting parties

Nineteen registered political parties contested the party vote:

party leader(s) elections contested by party seats won in 2005 seats won in 2008 parties that won seats at the 2005 general election ACT Rodney Hide 1996– 2 5 Green Party Jeanette Fitzsimons & Russel Norman 1990; 1999– 6 9 Labour Party Helen Clark 1919– 50 43 Māori Party Tariana Turia & Pita Sharples 2005– 4 5 National Party John Key 1938– 48 58 New Zealand First Winston Peters 1993– 7 0 Progressive Party Jim Anderton 2002– 1 1 United Future Peter Dunne 1996– 3 1 parties that did not win seats at the 2005 election Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party Michael Appleby 1996– 0 0 Alliance Andrew McKenzie & Kay Murray 1993– 0 0 Democrats for Social Credit Stephnie de Ruyter 1954–1990 (As Social Credit until 1985); 2005– 0 0 Libertarianz Bernard Darnton 1996– 0 0 The Republic of New Zealand Party Kerry Bevin 2005– 0 0 parties that have not previously contested a general election in New Zealand Bill and BenJamie Linehan & Ben Boyce 2008 – 0 The Family Party Richard Lewis 2008 – 0 Kiwi Party Larry Baldock 2008 – 0 New Zealand Pacific Party Taito Phillip Field 2008 – 0 Residents Action Movement Oliver Woods 2008 – 0 Workers Party Daphna Whitmore 2008 – 0

Non-contesting parties

The following parties either disappeared during the previous parliament's term (2005 to 2008), or did not contest the 2008 elections for other reasons.

party leader(s) elections contested by party registered political parties that did not submit a list Direct Democracy Kelvyn Alp 2005– New World Order Party Nathan Couper – parties dissolved or deregistered since 2005 election 99 MP Party Margaret Robertson 2005 Christian Heritage Ewen McQueen 1990–2005 Destiny New Zealand Richard Lewis 2005 New Zealand Family Rights Protection Party Susi Pa'o Williams 2005 OneNZ Alan McCulloch 1999–2005

Retiring MPs

In the months preceding the election 13 Members of Parliament announced that they would not seek re-election to the House of Representatives in 2008, namely: from Labour, 9 members: Tim Barnett (Christchurch Central) David Benson-Pope (Dunedin South) Mark Gosche (Maungakiekie)Dominion Post 30 May 2008 page A4 Marian Hobbs () Steve Maharey (Palmerston North) Jill Pettis (list MP) Dover Samuels (list MP) Paul Swain (Rimutaka) Margaret Wilson (list MP) from National, 4 members: Mark Blumsky (list MP) Bob Clarkson (Tauranga) Katherine Rich (list MP) Clem Simich (list MP)

Several list MPs elected in 2005 resigned before the end of the term; for a full list, see 48th New Zealand Parliament#Changes during term.

MPs who lost their seats

New Zealand First New Zealand First received 4.07% of the party vote – below the threshold of 5% – and failed to win an electorate seat. The party's seven MPs lost their seats: Winston Peters Leader, and second in Tauranga by 11,742 votes Peter Brown 2nd on List and Deputy Leader Ron Mark (list MP; 3rd in Rimutaka) Doug Woolerton (list MP) Barbara Stewart (list MP) Pita Paraone (list MP) Dail Jones (list MP at number 14)

United Future Party Judy Turner (list MP)

Labour Party Damien O'Connor (MP for West Coast-Tasman) Dave Hereora (list MP) Harry Duynhoven (MP for New Plymouth) Judith Tizard (MP for Auckland Central) Lesley Soper (list MP) Louisa Wall (list MP) Mahara Okeroa (MP for Te Tai Tonga) Mark Burton (MP for Taupo) Martin Gallagher MP for Hamilton West) Russell Fairbrother (list MP; MP for Napier from 2002 to 2005)

Independents Gordon Copeland (list MP) Taito Phillip Field (MP for Mangere)

Voter enrolment and turnout

The rolls listed almost 3 million people registered to vote in the election, a record number representing 95.3% of the estimated eligible voting population., press release, Electoral Enrolment Centre, 12 November 2008. In contrast, voter turnout of 79.5% of enrolled voters came in lower than in most previous elections, the second-lowest since 1978 (when a large number of outdated and duplicate enrolments deflated the figure) and third-lowest since 1902.General elections 1853–2005 – dates & turnout , Electoral Compendium 2005 . Electoral Commission, Wellington, 2005.

Turnout statistics reflect the percentage of those enrolled to vote.

Political scientist Stephen Levine from Victoria University speculated that the low turnout may have resulted from the National Party's large lead over Labour in opinion polls running up to the election. Māori Party co-leader Pita Sharples expressed concern that only 55% of those on the Maori roll had voted.

Issues

Electoral Finance Act

The Electoral Finance Act 2007 passed by the Labour government had a "chilling effect" on political activity in 2008, according to the Electoral Commission. Some parties attempted to make this an election issue.

Economic conditions On 5 August 2008, the Treasury announced that the New Zealand economy had entered a recession. Economic downturn has led to high-profile job losses, such as the closure of factories in Foxton, in west Dunedin and in southern Hawke's Bay. At the same time, inflation hit an eighteen-year high, with an upwards tug on the prices of basics such as food and petrol, the latter crossing the two-dollar-per-litre mark in late May.

At the Labour Party's campaign launch on 12 October 2008, Helen Clark became the latest world leader to guarantee bank deposits, unveiling a plan worth $150 billion whereby all retail deposits would be unconditionally covered. The plan would be voluntary to join; within two days, reports appeared stating that all of New Zealand's major trading banks had signed up. Also signed up to the plan was the National Party, with deputy leader and finance spokesperson Bill English saying that there was "still time to change the...scheme if banks find it hard to borrow overseas".

Taxation

On 6 October, two days before the National Party's scheduled release of details of the tax-cut plan it had over and above the governing coalition's three-stage series of tax cuts revealed in the 2008 Budget, the Government disclosed its full fiscal situation; it showed that it expected to take $3.1 billion less tax in 2009, forcing the government to borrow $5.9 billion in 2009, rising to $7.3 billion by 2013. This implied higher costs for KiwiSaver, Working For Families and the 20 hours subsidised early-childhood plan; and higher numbers of people forced onto benefits by any prospective economic downturn. Over the next fiscal year, Cullen expected GDP to rise by just 0.1%, with median house prices dropping by an estimated 10–15%.

John Key responded to the news by describing the numbers as "a bit worse than we had anticipated", and stated "I'm confident we can deliver a programme of tax cuts." The same day Helen Clark reiterated her opinion on tax cuts beyond the government's proposal, saying "now is not the time to go out and recklessly borrow to offer tax cuts", an opinion she had first voiced in early August when the National Party used its annual conference to promise to speed up the implementation of the tax cuts, and to borrow several billion dollars to fund infrastructure projects such as a $1.5 billion broadband plan and a new prison in its first term. On 9 October, National released its policy, promising people on the average wage or higher around $47 a week extra in the hand, funded through a combination of cutting contributions to KiwiSaver, eliminating a tax credit for science and development, and changing Working For Families entitlements.

Trust

On calling the 2008 election, Prime Minister Helen Clark declared that it would be "about trust", labelling the National Party's recent commitments to preserve Labour Party programmes such as KiwiSaver and Kiwibank as "insincere".

Members of the Labour Party accused John Key of lying about his shareholding in Tranz Rail, by not disclosing nearly half of the shares he and his family trusts owned in the company, even though this presented a clear conflict of interest with Key's role as his party's spokesperson on transport, at a time when he asked several questions in the House about the government's plans regarding rail infrastructure.