| Election Name: | 1989 New Zealand Labour Party leadership election |
| Flag Image: | Labour L Logo.png |
| Type: | legislative |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1988 New Zealand Labour Party leadership election |
| Previous Year: | 1988 |
| Next Election: | 1990 New Zealand Labour Party leadership election |
| Next Year: | 1990 |
| Election Date: | 8 August 1989 |
| 1Blank: | Caucus |
| Candidate1: | Geoffrey Palmer |
| Colour1: | DC241F |
| Popular Vote1: | 41 |
| Percentage1: | 75.92% |
| Candidate2: | Mike Moore |
| Colour2: | DC241F |
| Popular Vote2: | 13 |
| Percentage2: | 24.08% |
| Leader | |
| Posttitle: | Leader after election |
| Before Election: | David Lange |
| After Election: | Geoffrey Palmer |
The 1989 New Zealand Labour Party leadership election was held to determine the leadership of the New Zealand Labour Party. The leadership was won by MP and incumbent deputy leader Geoffrey Palmer.
David Lange had been leader of the Labour Party since 1983 and Prime Minister since 1984. Roger Douglas had been a key ally of Lange and was Minister of Finance in the Fourth Labour Government until growing divisions between Lange and Douglas over the Government's economic policy (Rogernomics) led to the latter's resignation from the Cabinet in December 1988. A week later, Douglas tried to replace Lange as Labour leader, but failed.
Division in the Labour Party continued through 1989. According to Michael Cullen, the then Minister for Social Welfare, most of caucus wanted both Lange and Douglas in Cabinet with a peace deal.[1] On 3 August 1989, the caucus voted to return Douglas to the cabinet. In response, Lange resigned as leader, interpreting the caucus's support for Douglas as a sign of no-confidence in him.
Former Labour leader and Prime Minister Sir Wallace Rowling was saddened to hear of Lange's resignation. He felt the caucus made a significant error in re-electing Douglas to cabinet stating that the vote indicated caucus was "bent on its own political destruction."[2]
Former Minister of Finance Roger Douglas (who had previously challenged Lange for the leadership in 1988) also considered contesting the position. He later withdrew in favour of Moore upon realizing that he could not beat Palmer and concentrated on a bid for the deputy leadership. He lost this position to left-wing Health Minister Helen Clark by only a narrow margin.
A caucus vote was held on 8 August 1989. The result of the ballot saw Geoffrey Palmer win the leadership over Mike Moore 41 votes to 13. The result for the deputy leadership was far less decisive, with Helen Clark defeating Roger Douglas 29 votes to 25.
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geoffrey Palmer | 41 | 75.92 | |
| Mike Moore | 13 | 24.08 | |
| Majority | 28 | 51.85 | |
| Turnout | 54 | ||
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helen Clark | 29 | 53.71 | |
| Roger Douglas | 25 | 46.29 | |
| Majority | 4 | 7.40 | |
| Turnout | 54 | ||
Palmer led Labour for the next fourteen months, though struggled to repair the party's damaged image. Palmer retained Moore as third in the cabinet rankings and also gave him the coveted position of Minister of Foreign Affairs in early 1990. After it became clear that Labour could not win the next election, Palmer was replaced as leader by Moore only two months before the 1990 general election. Having Moore as leader was believed by many in the Labour caucus to give it better success at the polls. Palmer then decided not to stand for election in 1990 and retired from politics, remaining as Minister for the Environment (outside cabinet) until the election before returning to his academic career.