The 42nd New Zealand Parliament was a term of the New Zealand Parliament. Its composition was determined by the 1987 election, and it sat until the 1990 election.
The 42nd Parliament was the second (and final) term of the controversial fourth Labour Party government. Initially, the only other party in the 42nd Parliament was the National Party, with the Democratic Party having lost the two seats it held in the 41st Parliament. Later, a dissident Labour MP, Jim Anderton, would found the NewLabour Party in 1989. Due to internal disputes within the Labour Party, there were three Prime Ministers during the 42nd Parliament: David Lange, Geoffrey Palmer, and Mike Moore.
The 42nd Parliament consisted of ninety-seven representatives. At the time, this was the highest number of representatives that Parliament had had, although it would later be exceeded. All of these representatives were chosen by single-member geographical electorates, including four Māori electorates.
Electoral boundaries for the 42nd Parliament
Overview of seats The table below shows the number of MPs in each party following the 1987 election and at dissolution:
Affiliation Members At 1987 election At dissolution 57 56Government total 40 40 Not yet founded 1Opposition total 40 41 Total 9797 Working Government majority 17 15
Notes The Working Government majority is calculated as all Government MPs less all other parties.
Initial composition of the 42nd Parliament
Changes during term
By-elections There were no by-elections held during the term of the 42nd Parliament.
Party affiliation changes NameYearSeatFromToJim Anderton1989SydenhamLabourNewLabour Jim Anderton, the Labour MP for Sydenham, quit the Labour Party in protest in 1989 over the economic reforms, known as Rogernomics, of Roger Douglas, the Minister of Finance. He established the NewLabour Party.
Seating plan
Start of term The chamber is in a horseshoe-shape.
Notes
References