How old are New Zealand's parliamentary political parties?

Today is the Labour Party's 107th birthday, and Te Pāti Māori's 19th birthday. So, since it's an election year, we wondered — how old are New Zealand's current parliamentary political parties and where did they come from?

The New Zealand Labour Party is New Zealand's oldest party — turning 107 today, having been founded on July 7, 1916. It was born of workers' rights activism, including agitating for an eight-hour day and formed out of the trade union and working men's association movements. Eventually, factions, including a Social Democratic Party, merged to become the Labour Party, unified by opposition to conscription in World War I.

The first Labour Government was not formed, however, until 1935, under Michael Joseph Savage — a prime minister so popular his image hung in the homes of many New Zealanders. Savage is widely attributed as the founder of the social welfare system in New Zealand, and declared war against Germany alongside Britain — entering New Zealand into World War II — with the famous words: "Where she [Britain] goes, we go. Where she stands, we stand." Savage died from cancer in 1940, while still in office.

Savage was the third leader of the Labour Party. The party has now had 18 leaders in total, the latest of course being Prime Minister Chris Hipkins. In total, its spent 42 years on the government benches, and 60 years in opposition.

The National Party is 20 years younger than the Labour Party, with a birthday on May 14, 1936. However, the party formed out of two, older political parties — the Reform Party and the Liberal (later United) Party. The two right-wing parties joined forces instead of competing against one another. It's gone on to spend a total of 48 years in government, and 38 years on opposition benches.

Its first prime minister was Sidney Holland, when National won the 1949 election. Holland also made himself finance minister. Holland, the co-owner of a Christchurch engineering business called himself 'a Britisher through and through' and was involved in an anti-socialist lobby.

He called a snap election in 1951 and increased National's majority by about 2.1%. According to Te Ara the New Zealand encyclopaedia, Holland was rewarded for his handling of the 1951 waterfront labour dispute and an economic boom. By 1957 times were not so easy for Holland and, also unwell, he resigned to be replaced by Keith Holyoake, his deputy.

Another 12 leaders succeeded Holyoake, before Christopher Luxon — the 15th leader of the National Party, took the reins in November 2021.

The Greens formed on May 26 1990, arising out of the Values Party, which traced back to the 1970s. The Values Party —which never won seats in Parliament, predating MMP — is credited as the world's first national-level environmentalist party, an attribution which is usually conferred on to its successor, the Greens.

The party also stood candidates under the Alliance Party banner until 1997, when it stood candidates independently. Jeanette Fitzsimons and Rod Donald were its first co-leaders, elected to the roles in 1995. They were succeeded by Russell Norman and Metiria Turei, who in turn were succeeded by current co-leaders Marama Davidson and James Shaw.

The Green Party has spent a total of six years in a confidence and supply agreement with the government of the day, and almost six years in a cooperation agreement. It's spent 15 years, total, in opposition.

ACT New Zealand was formed in 1994, and is named for the Association of Consumers and Taxpayers, which was formed the year before by former National Party MP, Derek Quigley, and former Labour Party Minister of Finance, Roger Douglas. Douglas was the minister of finance in the David Lange-led Labour Government in the mid-late 80s, and gave his name to the term "Rogernomics" used to describe his neoliberal fiscal approach. Douglas was the party's first leader but Richard Prebble took over in 1996.

Prebble won the Wellington Central electorate — an election documented in Tony Sutorius film Campaign — and overall, the party secured seven seats.

From 2008 to 2017, ACT had confidence and supply agreements with the John Key-led National Government. Its best election result was in 2020, when 10 ACT MPs were elected to Parliament, but it has always maintained at least one seat in Parliament by winning the Epsom electorate. That electorate is currently held by leader David Seymour.

Seymour is the party's seventh leader.

Another one for the happy birthday — or rather, rā whānau — today is Te Pāti Māori, which has also been called the Māori Party in the past. Founded on this day in 2004, its current co-leaders are Waiariki MP Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.

The party's genesis came from the controversial Foreshore and Seabed Act. Dame Tariana Turia, then a minister in the Labour Government under Helen Clark, voted against the legislation and her party, and was dismissed as a minister the same day.

She left the Labour Party and alongside Dr Pita Sharples and those opposed to the Foreshore and Seabed Act (which was later repealed and replaced) formed the Māori Party. From 2008 to 2017, the Māori Party was part of the then-National Government. It was voted out of Parliament altogether in 2017, only to return in 2020. The party has spent two terms — six years — on the crossbenches.