Tom Wyatt
Introduction
The Second National Government came to power in 1960 following a successful election result - something that would be achieved again and again through the elections of 1963,1966, and 1969 - until the eventual loss to Labour in 1972. This 12 year period resulted in the Second National Government being remembered as one of the country’s longest serving governments. However, this is not all that they are remembered for. Whilst in office, they implemented 215 Bills and conducted two referendums, many of which have had lasting impacts on New Zealand society through to this day. This webpage aims to guide you through the events facing the Second National Government and key policy/legislative decisions that they made. This will primarily be done through a timeline of key decisions and policy in chronological order, assisted by easy access to the full Bills (as passed) and other useful sources. I have aimed to break down information into interactive and visual representation to better help you gain a wider perspective of this government’s actions. Also included are the electoral results for their tenure in government.
Election results
Below is a table of the election results for the 1960,1963,1966,1969, and 1972 general elections, as well as two visualisations of this data to show how voting habits changed over this 12 year period.
The Second National Government came to power in 1960 following a successful election result - something that would be achieved again and again through the elections of 1963,1966, and 1969 - until the eventual loss to Labour in 1972. This 12 year period resulted in the Second National Government being remembered as one of the country’s longest serving governments. However, this is not all that they are remembered for. Whilst in office, they implemented 215 Bills and conducted two referendums, many of which have had lasting impacts on New Zealand society through to this day. This webpage aims to guide you through the events facing the Second National Government and key policy/legislative decisions that they made. This will primarily be done through a timeline of key decisions and policy in chronological order, assisted by easy access to the full Bills (as passed) and other useful sources. I have aimed to break down information into interactive and visual representation to better help you gain a wider perspective of this government’s actions. Also included are the electoral results for their tenure in government.
Election results
Below is a table of the election results for the 1960,1963,1966,1969, and 1972 general elections, as well as two visualisations of this data to show how voting habits changed over this 12 year period.
Seats won chart
Percentage of votes won
Election data sourced from: https://elections.nz/democracy-in-nz/historical-events/18901993-general-election
Timeline
This Timeline shows key pieces of legislation, policy, and events that were enacted or occured whilst the Second National Government was in power between 1960 and 1972.
This Timeline shows key pieces of legislation, policy, and events that were enacted or occured whilst the Second National Government was in power between 1960 and 1972.
Visualising aspects of the Second National Governments legislation and policy actions
I believe that the timeline has provided adequate details for many of the larger legislative and policy decisions enacted under the Second National Government. However, I have included a few more details for certain ones below:
Crimes Act 1961
This chart shows the amount of people who were executed and what crime they committed prior to the death penalty being abolished for murder during the first term of the Second National Government due to 10 National MPs crossing the floor.
I believe that the timeline has provided adequate details for many of the larger legislative and policy decisions enacted under the Second National Government. However, I have included a few more details for certain ones below:
Crimes Act 1961
This chart shows the amount of people who were executed and what crime they committed prior to the death penalty being abolished for murder during the first term of the Second National Government due to 10 National MPs crossing the floor.
Vietnam
This annotated cartoon shows, physically, the hesitancy that Holyoake had to committing troops to Vietnam - even when being forced by the United States. It is well known that he wanted to prevent the deployment of combat forces , however, ultimately did so (all be it a much smaller amount than Australia and the USA committed).
This annotated cartoon shows, physically, the hesitancy that Holyoake had to committing troops to Vietnam - even when being forced by the United States. It is well known that he wanted to prevent the deployment of combat forces , however, ultimately did so (all be it a much smaller amount than Australia and the USA committed).
Cartoon source - Gordon Minhinnick, the New Zealand Herald, 17 April 1964.
1967 Referendum
This chart shows the distribution of votes in regards to the licensing hours referendum of 1967.
This chart shows the distribution of votes in regards to the licensing hours referendum of 1967.
Relevant Acts linked to original versions as enacted
Accident Compensation Act 1972
Crimes Act 1961
Electoral Amendment Act 1965
Electoral Amendment Act 1969
Equal Pay Act 1972
Māori Affairs Amendment Act 1967
Māori Community Development Act 1962
Parliamentary Commissioner (Ombudsman) Act 1962
Race Relations Act 1971
Sale of Liquour Amendment Act (No 2) 1967
Universities Act 1961
Waitangi Day Amendment Act 1963
Keith Holyoake videos (Links of interest)
https://youtu.be/yxWG0zp92xI?t=960
https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/video/interview-with-prime-minister-keith-holyoake-1963
https://teara.govt.nz/en/speech/24/holyoake-speaking-about-the-vietnam-war
https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/the-men-on-the-hill-keith-holyoake-1965
Bibliography
Books
Bassett, Michael, Getting Together Again (Auckland: Peter J. Harris, 1979), pp.1-15.
Doughty, Ross, The Holyoake Years (Feilding: Ross A. Doughty, 1977), pp.158-229.
Easton, Brian, Pragmatism and Progress: Social Security in the Seventies (Christchurch: Whitcoulls, 1981), pp.1-67.
Gustafson, Barry, Kiwi Keith: A Biography of Keith Holyoake (Auckland: Auckland University Press, 2007), pp.114-337.
Gustafson, Barry, The First 50 Years: A History of the New Zealand National Party (Auckland: Reed Methuen, 1986), pp.73-117.
Hill, Richard, Maori and the State: Crown-Māori relations in New Zealand/Aotearoa, 1950-2000 (Wellington: VUP, 2009), pp.111-117.
James, Colin, National at 80: The Story of the New Zealand National Party (Bateman, 2016), pp.28-33.
Marshall, John, Memoirs: Volume Two: 1960 to 1988 (Auckland: William Collins, 1989), pp.19-251.
McGibbon, Ian, Unofficial Channels (Wellington: VUP, 1999).
Muldoon, Robert, The Rise and Fall of a Young Turk (Wellington: A.H & A.W. Reed, 1974), pp.24-124.
Rabel, Roberto, New Zealand and the Vietnam War (Auckland: Auckland University Press, 2005), pp.80-261.
Te Puni Kōkiri, Discussion paper on the proposed changes to the Māori Community Development Act 1962 (Te Puni Kōkiri, 2013), pp.1-30.
Websites
ACC, ‘General Claims data’, data.govt.nz; https://catalogue.data.govt.nz/dataset/acc-general-claims-data/resource/6d711be7-25f6-4b74-a668-bfd2b43efa67; accessed 14 Feb 2022.
Employment NZ, ‘Gender pay gap’; https://www.employment.govt.nz/hours-and-wages/pay/pay-equity/gender-pay-gap/; accessed 16 Feb 2022.
HathiTrust,’ Parliamentary debates’, May 27 - Jul 08 1965; https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.a0001745603&view=1up&seq=1; accessed 5 Feb 2022.
John Martin, ‘ From legislative machine to representative forum? Procedural change in the New Zealand Parliament in the twentieth century’, NZ Parliament; https://www.parliament.nz/en/document/00PlibFactsheetFromlegislative1; accessed 9 Feb 2022.
McBride, David, ‘Large numbers of NZ military personnel suffer post-traumatic stress’, News; https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/news/otago735861.html; accessed 8 Feb 2022.
NZHIstory, ‘Confrontation in Borneo’, NZ and Confrontation in Borneo; https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/confrontation-in-borneo; accessed 9 Feb 2022.
NZHistory, ‘ Should the voting age be lowered to 16?’, Introduction; https://nzhistory.govt.nz/te-akomanga/contexts-activities/should-voting-age-be-lowered-to-16#:~:text=There%20was%20finally%20some%20movement,18%20was%20introduced%20in%201974.; accessed 16 Feb 2022.
NZHistory, ‘The Death Penalty’, Capital Punishment in New Zealand; https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/the-death-penalty#:~:text=The%20offences%20that%20carried%20the,sentences%20to%20life%20in%20prison.; accessed 4 Feb 2022.
NZHistory, ‘Treaty events since 1950’, Treaty Timeline; https://nzhistory.govt.nz/politics/treaty/treaty-timeline/treaty-events-1950#:~:text=The%20Maori%20Affairs%20Amendment%20Act,uneconomic%20interests%20in%20M%C4%81ori%20land.; accessed 10 Feb 2022.
NZHistory, ‘Vietnam War’, The Vietnam War; https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/vietnam-war#:~:text=More%20than%203000%20New%20Zealand,service%20and%20187%20were%20wounded.; accessed 5 Feb 2022.
Te Ara, ‘Adoption and Single Mothers - 1960s and 1970s’, Adoption; https://teara.govt.nz/en/adoption/page-3; accessed 16 Feb 2022.
Te Ara, ‘Freedom from discrimination, Human Rights; https://teara.govt.nz/en/human-rights/page-3#:~:text=The%20Race%20Relations%20Act%201971,for%20complaints%20about%20racial%20discrimination.&text=In%202001%20the%20Race%20Relations,with%20the%20Human%20Rights%20Commission.; accessed 10 Feb 2022.
Te Ara, ‘New Zealand, Britain and the EEC’, Overseas trade policy; https://teara.govt.nz/en/overseas-trade-policy/page-4; accessed 8 Feb 2022.
VietnamWar.govt.nz,’ Homecoming’ Vietnam War; https://vietnamwar.govt.nz/nz-vietnam-war/homecoming; accessed 4 Feb 2022.
Waitangi Tribunal, ‘Report Released on Crown’s Review of Māori Community Development Act and Role of Māori Wardens’, News; https://waitangitribunal.govt.nz/news/report-released-on-crowns-review-of-maori-community-development-act-and-role-of-maori-wardens-2/; accessed 10 Feb 2022.
Wikipedia, ‘List of nuclear test sites’; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nuclear_test_sites; accessed 12 Feb 2022.
Legislation
Accident Compensation Act 1972
Crimes Act 1961
Electoral Amendment Act 1965
Electoral Amendment Act 1969
Equal Pay Act 1972
Maori Affairs Amendment Act 1967
Maori Community Development Act 1962
Parliamentary Commissioner (Ombudsman) Act 1962
Race Relations Act 1971
Sale of Liquor Amendment Act (No 2) 1967
Universities Act of 1961
Waitangi Day Amendment Act 1963
1967 New Zealand licensing hours referendum
Images
2 x Created by myself and uploaded to Flickr with the information sourced on image
https://youtu.be/yxWG0zp92xI?t=960
https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/video/interview-with-prime-minister-keith-holyoake-1963
https://teara.govt.nz/en/speech/24/holyoake-speaking-about-the-vietnam-war
https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/the-men-on-the-hill-keith-holyoake-1965
Bibliography
Books
Bassett, Michael, Getting Together Again (Auckland: Peter J. Harris, 1979), pp.1-15.
Doughty, Ross, The Holyoake Years (Feilding: Ross A. Doughty, 1977), pp.158-229.
Easton, Brian, Pragmatism and Progress: Social Security in the Seventies (Christchurch: Whitcoulls, 1981), pp.1-67.
Gustafson, Barry, Kiwi Keith: A Biography of Keith Holyoake (Auckland: Auckland University Press, 2007), pp.114-337.
Gustafson, Barry, The First 50 Years: A History of the New Zealand National Party (Auckland: Reed Methuen, 1986), pp.73-117.
Hill, Richard, Maori and the State: Crown-Māori relations in New Zealand/Aotearoa, 1950-2000 (Wellington: VUP, 2009), pp.111-117.
James, Colin, National at 80: The Story of the New Zealand National Party (Bateman, 2016), pp.28-33.
Marshall, John, Memoirs: Volume Two: 1960 to 1988 (Auckland: William Collins, 1989), pp.19-251.
McGibbon, Ian, Unofficial Channels (Wellington: VUP, 1999).
Muldoon, Robert, The Rise and Fall of a Young Turk (Wellington: A.H & A.W. Reed, 1974), pp.24-124.
Rabel, Roberto, New Zealand and the Vietnam War (Auckland: Auckland University Press, 2005), pp.80-261.
Te Puni Kōkiri, Discussion paper on the proposed changes to the Māori Community Development Act 1962 (Te Puni Kōkiri, 2013), pp.1-30.
Websites
ACC, ‘General Claims data’, data.govt.nz; https://catalogue.data.govt.nz/dataset/acc-general-claims-data/resource/6d711be7-25f6-4b74-a668-bfd2b43efa67; accessed 14 Feb 2022.
Employment NZ, ‘Gender pay gap’; https://www.employment.govt.nz/hours-and-wages/pay/pay-equity/gender-pay-gap/; accessed 16 Feb 2022.
HathiTrust,’ Parliamentary debates’, May 27 - Jul 08 1965; https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.a0001745603&view=1up&seq=1; accessed 5 Feb 2022.
John Martin, ‘ From legislative machine to representative forum? Procedural change in the New Zealand Parliament in the twentieth century’, NZ Parliament; https://www.parliament.nz/en/document/00PlibFactsheetFromlegislative1; accessed 9 Feb 2022.
McBride, David, ‘Large numbers of NZ military personnel suffer post-traumatic stress’, News; https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/news/otago735861.html; accessed 8 Feb 2022.
NZHIstory, ‘Confrontation in Borneo’, NZ and Confrontation in Borneo; https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/confrontation-in-borneo; accessed 9 Feb 2022.
NZHistory, ‘ Should the voting age be lowered to 16?’, Introduction; https://nzhistory.govt.nz/te-akomanga/contexts-activities/should-voting-age-be-lowered-to-16#:~:text=There%20was%20finally%20some%20movement,18%20was%20introduced%20in%201974.; accessed 16 Feb 2022.
NZHistory, ‘The Death Penalty’, Capital Punishment in New Zealand; https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/the-death-penalty#:~:text=The%20offences%20that%20carried%20the,sentences%20to%20life%20in%20prison.; accessed 4 Feb 2022.
NZHistory, ‘Treaty events since 1950’, Treaty Timeline; https://nzhistory.govt.nz/politics/treaty/treaty-timeline/treaty-events-1950#:~:text=The%20Maori%20Affairs%20Amendment%20Act,uneconomic%20interests%20in%20M%C4%81ori%20land.; accessed 10 Feb 2022.
NZHistory, ‘Vietnam War’, The Vietnam War; https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/vietnam-war#:~:text=More%20than%203000%20New%20Zealand,service%20and%20187%20were%20wounded.; accessed 5 Feb 2022.
Te Ara, ‘Adoption and Single Mothers - 1960s and 1970s’, Adoption; https://teara.govt.nz/en/adoption/page-3; accessed 16 Feb 2022.
Te Ara, ‘Freedom from discrimination, Human Rights; https://teara.govt.nz/en/human-rights/page-3#:~:text=The%20Race%20Relations%20Act%201971,for%20complaints%20about%20racial%20discrimination.&text=In%202001%20the%20Race%20Relations,with%20the%20Human%20Rights%20Commission.; accessed 10 Feb 2022.
Te Ara, ‘New Zealand, Britain and the EEC’, Overseas trade policy; https://teara.govt.nz/en/overseas-trade-policy/page-4; accessed 8 Feb 2022.
VietnamWar.govt.nz,’ Homecoming’ Vietnam War; https://vietnamwar.govt.nz/nz-vietnam-war/homecoming; accessed 4 Feb 2022.
Waitangi Tribunal, ‘Report Released on Crown’s Review of Māori Community Development Act and Role of Māori Wardens’, News; https://waitangitribunal.govt.nz/news/report-released-on-crowns-review-of-maori-community-development-act-and-role-of-maori-wardens-2/; accessed 10 Feb 2022.
Wikipedia, ‘List of nuclear test sites’; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nuclear_test_sites; accessed 12 Feb 2022.
Legislation
Accident Compensation Act 1972
Crimes Act 1961
Electoral Amendment Act 1965
Electoral Amendment Act 1969
Equal Pay Act 1972
Maori Affairs Amendment Act 1967
Maori Community Development Act 1962
Parliamentary Commissioner (Ombudsman) Act 1962
Race Relations Act 1971
Sale of Liquor Amendment Act (No 2) 1967
Universities Act of 1961
Waitangi Day Amendment Act 1963
1967 New Zealand licensing hours referendum
Images
2 x Created by myself and uploaded to Flickr with the information sourced on image