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Mabel Howard

In 1947, 14 years after Elizabeth McCombs had become the first woman MP, and more than half a century after women had won the vote, Mabel Howard became New Zealand’s first woman Cabinet minister.

Iriaka Rātana

The first Māori woman to be elected to Parliament, Iriaka Matiu Rātana was a passionate advocate for the welfare of her people.

Iriaka Matiu Rātana
Labour MP, Iriaka Rātana speaking to supporters of the Rātana political movement on Manukorihi marae, Waitara
The angel of arbitration
The government's compulsory arbitration process meant New Zealand experienced no strikes between 1894 and 1908.
The defeat of the 1913 strike
The leaders of the United Federation of Labour were unenthusiastic about the strike from the beginning, but felt obliged to lead actions that had been decided on through democratic processes.  They believed the strike was a tactical mistake, in that it put the UFL at risk before the new federation had built up its resources. In spring watersiders and miners had the least economic leverage and farmers were free to enrol as special constables.  The seizure of the wharves in Wellington and Auckland greatly reduced the strikers’ industrial power.
Former St Andrew’s Church
The Dunedin church where New Zealand’s most influential sermon was preached.
Waitaki Dam
Waitaki Dam was both a large hydroelectric project and the incubator for Labour's social security scheme.
Political cartoon, 1972
Cartoon showing Labour Prime Minister Norman Kirk as a barman kicking out the defeated Jack Marshall and his deputy, Robert Muldoon after the 1972 election
Division and defeat - 1951 waterfront dispute
The watersiders’ militancy had isolated them from most unionists and Walter Nash’s Labour Party Opposition sat uncomfortably on the fence, denouncing government repression but refusing to back either side.
War on the wharves - 1951 waterfront dispute
With New Zealand’s vital export trade at stake when the wharves came to a standstill, the government declared a state of emergency on 21 February.
Countdown to confrontation - 1951 waterfront dispute
New Zealanders generally accepted the hardships and restrictions of the war years as necessary in the fight against fascism. After the war, though, many began to demand a greater share in the spoils of victory.
Labour Day - a history
Celebrated on the fourth Monday in October, Labour Day commemorates the struggle for an eight-hour working day, a right that carpenter Samuel Parnell had famously fought for in 1840. Our first Labour Day was held on 28 October 1890, and it has been a statutory public holiday since 1900.
Beyond 1960 - protest and dissent
Looking back, the period from 1940 to 1960 is often seen as a 'golden age' of stability, consensus and prosperity in New Zealand, and in many ways it was. However, society was deeply divided on matters such as pacifism, class and ideology, and regional interests, and many New Zealanders were prepared to stand up for what they believed in.
The 1951 waterfront dispute
This year marks the 62nd anniversary of the 1951 waterfront dispute, the biggest industrial confrontation in New Zealand’s history. Although it was not as violent as the Great Strike of 1913, it lasted longer – 151 days, from February to July – and involved more workers.
Socialist objection - conscientious objection in the First World War
Many socialist and labour leaders criticised the First World War as an imperialist war and strongly opposed conscription. New Zealand workers, they argued, had no quarrel with German workers.
NZ Labour Party founded
The country's oldest existing political party, the New Zealand Labour Party emerged from a joint conference in Wellington of the United Federation of Labour and the Social Democratic Party.
Goods and Service Tax Act comes into force
Initially adding 10% to the cost of most goods and services, GST was a key part of the economic reforms of the fourth Labour government that were dubbed 'Rogernomics' after Minister of Finance Roger Douglas.
Social Security Act passed
The cornerstone of the first Labour government's 'cradle to the grave' welfare policies, this Act introduced revised pensions and extended the scope of benefits for families, invalids and the unemployed.
Death of David Lange
David Lange was New Zealand's youngest prime minister during the 20th century. Renowned for his sharp wit and oratory, he is best remembered as leader of the fourth Labour government from 1984 to 1989.
First Labour government takes office
The first Labour government assumed office following the party's landslide victory in November's general election. Led initially by the charismatic Michael Joseph Savage, this government is best remembered for its significant social welfare reforms.

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