Jim Anderton: Difference between revisions

{{short description|New Zealand politician (1938-20181938–2018)}}

As Leaderleader of the [[Alliance (New Zealand political party)|Alliance]] and later the [[New Zealand Progressive Party|Progressive Party]], he served as the 15th [[deputy prime minister of New Zealand]] in the [[Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand|Fifth Labour Government]] from 1999 to 2002 and as a senior minister in that government from 2002 to 2008. In 2010, he ran unsuccessfully for the [[2010 Christchurch mayoral election|mayoralty of Christchurch]]. Anderton retired from Parliament at the {{NZ election link|2011}}. After his retirement, he and former MP [[Philip Burdon]] were the two prominent campaigners for the restoration of [[ChristChurch Cathedral, Christchurch|ChristChurch Cathedral]].

Jim Anderton was born on 21 January 1938<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ge25AAAAIAAJ&q=James+Patrick+Anderton+21+jan&dq=James+Patrick+Anderton+21+jan |title=Who's Who in Asian and Australasian Politics |date=2008-09-11 |publisher=Bowker-Saur |access-date=2018-01-07|isbn=9780862915933 }}</ref> in [[Auckland]] to Matthew Byrne and Joyce Savage. His father left the family and his mother married Victor Anderton. Matthew Byrne died in a train accident in the 1940s1946 and Victor Anderton adopted Jim in 1951.<ref>{{cite news |title=The secret life of Matthew Byrne |first=Gary |last=Stewart |url= http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/local-news/secret-life-matthew-byrne-3389615 |work=Liverpool Echo |date=5 November 2010 |access-date=7 January 2018}}</ref> Jim undertook all his education in Auckland, attending [[Auckland University of Technology|Seddon Memorial Technical College]] and the [[Auckland College of Education|Auckland Teachers' Training College]]. He graduated as a qualified teacher, but spent only two years in a teaching role (at [[St Peter's College, Auckland]]) before moving on to work as a child welfare officer in [[Whanganui|Wanganui]].<ref name="legacy">{{cite news |last1=Wright |first1=Michael |title=The legacy of Jim Anderton: Former Deputy Prime Minister hailed 'one of the most highly-principled and idealistic' politicians |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/97315586/former-deputy-prime-minister-and-christ-church-cathedral-campaigner-jim-anderton-dies |access-date=8 January 2018 |work=[[Stuff.co.nz (website)|Stuff]] |date=7 January 2018}}</ref>

In 1960, he married Joan Caulfield and they had five children, two girls and three boys.<ref name="legacy"/> The same year he became the paid organiser for the Catholic Youth Movement in the [[Catholic Diocese of Auckland]], and later worked as the secretary for the Catholic [[diocese]] in Auckland.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Anderton, Jim - New Zealand Parliament|url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/former-members-of-parliament/anderton-jim/|access-date=2021-11-01|website=www.parliament.nz|language=en}}</ref> [[Reginald Delargey|Cardinal Reginald Delargey]] said that there were difficulties with Jim Anderton withand his employment endingended "when he put us in a position where we had to make a choice between him or the Pope".{{sfn|Bassett|2008|p=94}}

Anderton joined the [[New Zealand Labour Party|Labour Party]] in 1963 and first attended a Labour party branch meeting in Mangere in 1964.<ref name="legacy"/> His political career began in 1965 when he was elected to the [[Manukau City]] Council on a Labour ticket. In [[1971 Auckland City mayoral election|1971]], he stood for the [[Auckland City Council]] as a Labour candidate unsuccessfully and was the highest polling un-elected Labour candidate.<ref>{{cite news |title=Declaration of Result of Election |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=22 October 1971 |page=11 }}</ref> Three years later he challenged [[Dove-Myer Robinson]], the incumbent [[Mayor of Auckland City]], for the mayoralty, but was [[1974 Auckland City mayoral election|beaten by 7,000 votes]]. In the same local election, he also stood for the Auckland City Council and was successful.<ref name="final push">{{cite news |last1=van Beynen |first1=Martin |title=The final push |url= http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/3954688/The-final-push |access-date=19 September 2017 |work=[[The Press]] |date=23 July 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Declaration of Result of Election | work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=22 October 1974 |page=19 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Declaration of Result of Election | work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=23 October 1974 |page=16 }}</ref> Anderton had another tilt at the [[1977 Auckland City mayoral election|Auckland City mayoralty in 1977]], but was again beaten by the incumbent.<ref name="final push" /><ref>{{cite news |title=Mayor back by 5633 | work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=24 October 1977 |page=2 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Declaration of Result of Election | work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=24 October 1977 |page=11 }}</ref> Earlier in 1977 he was elected to the [[Auckland Regional Authority]] via a by-election and was confirmed a member at the 1977 local elections later that year despite again losing the mayoralty.<ref>{{cite news |title=Anderton has easy win in ARA poll | work=[[Auckland Star]] |date=7 February 1977 |page=5 }}</ref><ref name="final push" /> At the same time, he worked his way up the internal hierarchy of the [[New Zealand Labour Party|Labour Party]]. He became the party's president in 1979, a year before his term with the Auckland Regional Authority ended. He was also a long-standing member of the party's policy council.

|electorate = [[Sydenham{{NZ (Newelectorate Zealand electorate)link|Sydenham]]}}

|electorate = [[Wigram{{NZ (Newelectorate Zealand electorate)link|Wigram]]}}

In 1983 he was selected as the Labour candidate for the [[1984Christchurch]] Newseat Zealandof general{{NZ electionelectorate link|1984Sydenham}} generalagainst election]],6 Andertonlocal stoodcontenders.<ref>{{Cite successfullynews as|title=Electorate thepicks LabourAucklander candidate|date=8 forAugust 1983 |work=[[The Press]] |page=1 }}</ref> The outgoing MP for Sydenham [[John Kirk (New Zealand electoratepolitician)|John Kirk]] declared that he did not support Anderton as the official Labour candidate and saw Anderton's selection a sign that Labour was moving too far to the left.<ref>{{cite news |title=Angry M.P. blasts Sydenham's choice |work=[[The Press]] in|date=8 August 1983 |page=1 }}</ref> In the [[Christchurch1984 New Zealand general election|1984 general election]], Anderton was elected as MP for Sydenham. This election resulted in the formation of the [[Fourth Labour Government of New Zealand|Fourth Labour Government]].<ref name="Wilson">{{cite book |last= Wilson |first= James Oakley |title= New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 |edition= 4th |orig-year= First ed. published 1913 |year= 1985 |publisher= V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer |location= Wellington |oclc=154283103 |page=180}}</ref> AndertonSome soonon camethe intoleft conflict withof the party's leadership, andincluding became[[Helen oneClark]], oftried theto mostpersuade outspokenAnderton criticsto ofremain [[Ministerpresident of Financethe (Newparty, Zealand)|Ministerhowever ofhe Finance]]declined [[Rogerto Douglas]].stand Douglasagain andat histhe allies,1984 [[Richardconference Prebble]]believing andthe [[Davidpresident Caygill]],should werenot determinedalso tobe implementan radicalMP.{{sfn|Grant|2022|p=78}} reformsAnderton was appointed chairperson of the countryLabour's economiccaucus system,sub-committee knownon unofficially asindustrial "[[Rogernomics]]"relations. ThisPrime involved aMinister [[monetarism|monetaristDavid Lange]] approachsacked toAnderton controlling inflation,from the removalrole ofon [[tariff]]s3 andAugust [[subsidy|subsidies]],1986 and thereplaced him with [[Privatization|privatisationFran Wilde]] ofostensibly for a poor meeting stateattendance assetsrecord, allbut ofmore whichlikely weredue regardedto bycurb Anderton's asability ato betrayalcriticise oflabour themarket party'srestructuring. left-wingAfter roots,it andwas anrevealed abandonmenthe ofin fact had the party'ssecond-highest electionattendance platformrecord, Anderton received a caucus-level apology.{{sfn|Grant|2022|pp=117-8}}

Although many ordinary members of the Labour Party (who were unhappy at the way the party's parliamentary wing was behaving) backed Anderton, he became increasingly isolated in parliament. When Anderton disobeyed party instructions to vote in favour of selling the [[Bank of New Zealand]] (which Labour had explicitly promised not to do), he was suspended from [[caucus]]. In April 1989, believing that Labour was beyond change, Anderton resigned from the party. He later said, "I did not leave the Labour Party; the Labour Party left me."<ref name="Anderton remembered">{{cite news |title=Jim Anderton remembered as champion of MMP, Kiwibank, paid parental leave |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11971034 |access-date=8 January 2018 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=8 January 2018}}</ref> All but one of Anderton's electorate staff in Sydenham left with him.<ref name="legacy"/> Fellow MP and then-cabinet minister [[Michael Bassett]] commented "while Anderton liked to portray his differences as ideological, we knew from past experience that his real problem was that he wasn't the one in control of the government, and he could see no way of seizing power".{{sfn|Bassett|2008|p=475}}

On 1 May, Anderton announced the creation of the [[NewLabour Party (New Zealand)|NewLabour Party]], intended to represent the real spirit of the original Labour Party. Its primary goals were state intervention in the economy, retention of public assets, and full employment. In the [[1990 New Zealand general election|1990 general election]] Anderton retained his Sydenham seat, ensuring that NewLabour (and Anderton's criticism) would not fade away. A long -serving office manager and campaign director, Jeanette Lawrence, said Anderton retaining his seat at the 1990 general election was the "happiest she ever saw him".<ref name="legacy"/> He was the first MP in New Zealand political history to leave an established party, found another and be re-elected to Parliament representing that new party. In parliament, Anderton attacked the policies of the new [[New Zealand National Party|National Party]] government, particularly [[Ruth Richardson]]'s continuation of Rogernomics ([[Ruthanasia]]).

Anderton and NewLabour were at the centre of the [[Alliance (New Zealand political party)|Alliance Party]] established in 1991. He became leader of the new party and in the [[1993 New Zealand general election|1993 election]], was joined in parliament by Alliance colleague [[Sandra Lee-Vercoe|Sandra Lee]]. [[Jim Bolger]] spoke to him after the 1993 election where Anderton was "courteous and sensible and spoke about co-operating, but made it clear he would never enter into a coalition with a National-led government".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bolger |first=Jim |title=A View from the Top |publisher=Viking |year=1998 |edition=1st |location=Auckland, New Zealand |pages=133}}</ref> He briefly stepped down as leader of the Alliance in November 1994 following the suicide of his daughter the year before,<ref>{{Cite news|date=2000-08-25|title=26 years on, our star Jim is shining|language=en-NZ|work=NZ[[New Zealand Herald]] |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/|access-date=2020-08-06|issn=1170-0777}}</ref> but returned in May 1995.<ref name="legacy" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Anderton, Jim – New Zealand Parliament|url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/former-members-of-parliament/anderton-jim/|access-date=2020-08-06|website=www.parliament.nz|language=en}}</ref>

[[File:Kiwibank Logologo.svgpng|thumb|upright|Creating [[Kiwibank]] has been cited as Anderton's greatest legacy]]

By the late 1990s, Labour under [[HelenClark's Clark]]leadership had largely purged itself of the influence of Roger Douglas. Realising that the cost of a split in the left-wing vote would be a continuance of the National government, Labour and the Alliance agreed to form a coalition forafter the [[1999 New Zealand general election|1999 election]]. National lost the election and Anderton became Deputy Prime Minister. He was also given the newly created post of [[Minister of Economic Development (New Zealand)|Minister of Economic Development]], which had an emphasis on job creation and regional development initiatives. Anderton also co-authored the [[New Zealand Superannuation Fund]], a sovereign wealth fund to partially pre-fund the future cost of universal superannuation, with Finance Minister [[Michael Cullen (politician)|Michael Cullen]]<ref name="Anderton remembered"/> and promoted the first [[waka-jumping]] legislation—the Electoral Integrity Act 2001. Anderton, along with fellow Alliance MP [[Laila Harré]], was also an invaluable advocate in the creation and implementation for 12 weeks' paid parental leave.<ref name="Anderton remembered" />

The successful establishment of [[Kiwibank]], a state-owned bank, is often cited as Anderton's greatest achievement.<ref name="Anderton remembered"/> It was initially opposed by both Clark and Cullen but Anderton eventually wore the Labour Cabinet down following several months of debate culminating with [[Annette King]] telling Cullen, "For God's sake, give him the bloody bank".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5733182/Andertons-persistence-led-to-Kiwibank |title=Anderton's persistence led to Kiwibank |author= Watkins, Tracy |date=5 October 2011 |work=[[Stuff.co.nz (website)|Stuff]] |access-date=8 January 2018}}</ref>

Towards the end of the Alliance's first term in Government, Anderton came into conflict with the Alliance's administrative wing. Party president [[Matt McCarten]] and his allies claimed that the Alliance had become too close to Labour, and that it should take a less moderate path; Anderton replied that some moderation was required for the Alliance to accomplish any of its goals. There were complaints that Anderton was too dominant in the party's decision-making and over the fact that he supported the government's stance on the bombing of [[Afghanistan]], while the executive and wider membership opposed it. Eventually, Anderton and three other MPs left the Alliance, establishing the Progressive Coalition, later renamed the Progressive Party. In order to get around the waka-jumping legislation which Anderton had supported, he technically remained the Alliance's parliamentary leader until the [[drop the writ|writ was dropped]] for the [[2002 New Zealand general election|2002 election]].

In the runup to the [[2005 New Zealand general election|2005 election]] Anderton renamed his party "Jim Anderton's Progressive Party". However, he was the only Progressive who returned to Parliament by a narrow margin after many left-wing voters voted for Labour to prevent a National government from being elected due to a split on the left. He became Minister of Agriculture, Minister for Biosecurity, Minister of Fisheries, Minister of Forestry, Minister Responsible for the Public Trust, Associate Minister of Health, and Associate Minister for Tertiary Education.

Anderton announced in May 2010 that he would contest the [[Mayor of Christchurch|Christchurch mayoralty]] that October.<ref name="mayoral candidate">{{cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/3665557/Anderton-to-run-for-mayor|title=Anderton to run for mayor |date=6 May 2010|publisherwork=[[The Press]] |location=Christchurch|access-date=6 May 2010}}</ref> He initially said that if elected to the mayoralty he would not give up his seat in Parliament because he didn't want to cause an expensive [[List of New Zealand by-elections|by-election]].<ref name="No by-election">{{cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/national/3674184/Anderton-won-t-give-up-seat|title=Jim Anderton won't give up seat if elected mayor |date=10 May 2010|publisher=NZPA|access-date=11 May 2010}}</ref> However, following the [[2010 Canterbury earthquake]] Anderton announced he would stand down as MP for Wigram if elected mayor so he could fully focus on rebuilding the city.<ref name="Anderton presses on with mayoral bid">{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10672853|title=Anderton presses on with mayoral bid |date=12 September 2010 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |access-date=20 October 2010 |first=Jarrod |last=Booker}}</ref> Anderton was leading the polls until the earthquake hit.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2010-06-14|title=Anderton leads Christchurch mayoral poll|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3809295/Anderton-leads-Christchurch-mayoral-poll|access-date=2020-11-04|website=Stuff|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2010-09-29|title=Post-quake Christchurch poll shock|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/canterbury-earthquake/4179364/Post-quake-Christchurch-poll-shock|access-date=2020-11-04|website=Stuff|language=en}}</ref> He lost the election, taking 40.6% of the vote to incumbent mayor [[Bob Parker (mayor)|Bob Parker]]'s 53.7% of the vote, with the rest of the vote split amongst numerous minor candidates.

Anderton retired from Parliament at the [[2011 New Zealand general election|2011 election]]. The Progressive Party did not run candidates in that election. At the time, he held the unofficial title of [[Father of the House (New Zealand)|Father of the House]] as the longest continuously serving MP. During the election campaign, Anderton endorsed Labour candidate and previously unsuccessful mayoral candidate [[Megan Woods]] to succeed him in his electorate.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.meganwoods.org.nz/2011/09/anderton-endorses-woods-for-wigram/|title=Dr Megan Woods}}</ref> Woods was elected.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2011/electorate-63.html|title=Official Count Results – Wigram|last=Commission|first=New Zealand Electoral|website=archive.electionresults.govt.nz|access-date=2017-09-19}}</ref> After his retirement, he put his energy into a campaign to have [[ChristChurch Cathedral, Christchurch|ChristChurch Cathedral]] restored after it had been severely damaged in the [[2011 Christchurch earthquake|February]] and [[June 2011 Christchurch earthquake]]s; he worked on this campaign with former National MP [[Philip Burdon]]. [[Chris Finlayson|Christopher Finlayson]] spoke of a meeting he and [[Gerry Brownlee]] had with Jim Anderton and Philip Burdon about restoring the cathedral. Anderton "said that he had a couple of points he wanted to make. Forty minutes later, the monologue was continuing and I endeavored to ask a couple of questions. He effectively told me to shut up as he still had more to say. His was a somewhat bullying performance. I felt that if he had shown some more courtesy and understanding to the bishop, there may have been a more positive outcome".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Finlayson |first=Christopher |title=Yes, Minister |publisher=Allen and Unwin |year=2022 |isbn=978-1991006-1-03 |edition=1st |location=Auckland, New Zealand |pages=153–4}}</ref> They were ultimately successful in September 2017 when the Anglican synod made a binding decision to restore the church.<ref name="special investiture">{{cite news|last1=Rutherford|first1=Bridget|title=Ailing Jim Anderton recognised at special investiture ceremony|url=http://www.star.kiwi/2017/09/ailing-jim-anderton-recognised-at-special-investiture-ceremony/|access-date=10 September 2017|work=[[The Star (Christchurch)|The Star]]|date=7 September 2017}}</ref>

Anderton died in Christchurch on 7 January 2018, two weeks before hisat 80thage birthday79.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://deaths.dompost.co.nz/obituaries/dominion-post-nz/obituary.aspx?n=honourable-james-anderton&pid=187766657 | title=Honourable James Anderton death notice | date=8 January 2017 | work=[[The Dominion Post (Wellington)|The Dominion Post]] | access-date=8 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Former deputy PM Jim Anderton dies|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11970887|access-date=8 January 2018|publisher=The New Zealand Herald|date=7 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Former Deputy Prime Minister Jim Anderton has died|url=https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/347599/former-deputy-prime-minister-jim-anderton-has-died|website=radionz.co.nz|publisher=RNZ|access-date=8 January 2018|date=7 January 2018}}</ref> His funeral at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Christchurch was attended by hundreds, including the Prime Minister.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gates |first1=Charlie |title=New Zealand statesman Jim Anderton farewelled by family and friends |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/100493945/jim-andertons-funeral-service-begins |newspaperwork=[[The Press]] |via=Stuff.co.uk |date=11 January 2018 |language=en-NZ}}</ref> Anderton was buried at Onetangi Cemetery on [[Waiheke Island]].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11974447 | title=Family say final goodbyes to Jim Anderton at Waiheke burial | date=13 January 2018 | work= [[The New Zealand Herald]] | access-date=13 January 2018}}</ref>

[[Category:Deputy Primeprime Ministersministers of New Zealand]]