Jim Anderton: Difference between revisions

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== Early life ==
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 |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 1946 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 (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 and his employment ended "when he put us in a position where we had to make a choice between him or the Pope".{{sfn|Bassett|2008|p=94}}
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In 1983 he was selected as the Labour candidate for the [[Christchurch]] seat of {{NZ electorate link|Sydenham}} against 6 local contenders.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Electorate picks Aucklander |date=8 August 1983 |work=[[The Press]] |page=1 }}</ref> The outgoing MP for Sydenham [[John Kirk (New Zealand politician)|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]] |date=8 August 1983 |page=1 }}</ref> In the [[1984 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> Some on the left of the party, including [[Helen Clark]], tried to persuade Anderton to remain president of the party, however he declined to stand again at the 1984 conference believing the president should not also be an MP.{{sfn|Grant|2022|p=78}} Anderton was appointed chairperson of Labour's caucus sub-committee on industrial relations. Prime Minister [[David Lange]] sacked Anderton from the role on 3 August 1986 and replaced him with [[Fran Wilde]] ostensibly for a poor meeting attendance record, but more likely due to curb Anderton's ability to criticise labour market restructuring. After it was revealed he in fact had the second -highest attendance record, Anderton received a caucus-level apology.{{sfn|Grant|2022|pp=117-8}}
 
Anderton soon came into conflict with the party's leadership, and became one of the most outspoken critics of [[Minister of Finance (New Zealand)|Minister of Finance]] [[Roger Douglas]]. Douglas and his allies, [[Richard Prebble]] and [[David Caygill]], were determined to implement radical reforms of the country's economic system, known unofficially as "[[Rogernomics]]". This involved a [[monetarism|monetarist]] approach to controlling inflation, the removal of [[tariff]]s and [[subsidy|subsidies]], and the [[Privatization|privatisation]] of state assets, all of which were regarded by Anderton as a betrayal of the party's left-wing roots, and an abandonment of the party's election platform.
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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]]).
 
In regard to leaving Labour in 1989, he later recalled: "I have no regrets about any of that. Under the same circumstances I would do exactly the same again."<ref name="Anderton remembered"/> Anderton was awarded the [[New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Taylor |first1=Alister |last2=Coddington |first2=Deborah |author-link1=Alister Taylor |author-link2=Deborah Coddington |title=Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand |year=1994 |publisher=New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa |location=Auckland |isbn=0-908578-34-2 |page=47}}</ref>
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Anderton was the most prominent critic of the rash of party-switching (sometimes called "[[waka jumping]]" in New Zealand) that characterised the [[45th New Zealand Parliament|45th Parliament]], although remained silent about his own past party-switching.<ref>{{cite web |title=Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Bill — Second Reading - New Zealand Parliament |url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansDeb_20180802_20180802_20 |website=[[Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]] |language=en}}</ref> When Alliance list MP [[Alamein Kopu]] declared herself an independent and supported the National-led coalition, Anderton blasted her, saying her behaviour "breached every standard of ethics that are known."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0203/S00443.htm|title=Alliance Collapse Threatens Legality of Government|date=25 March 2002|publisher=scoop.co.nz}}</ref>
 
After the collapse of the [[Fourth National Government of New Zealand|National-New Zealand First coalition]] Anderton started a "Go Now" petition on 27 August 1998 calling on the government to resign and hold an election.{{sfn|Grant|2022|p=295}} Former-Prime Ministerprime minister [[Jim Bolger]] resigned from parliament triggering the [[1998 Taranaki-King Country by-election]]. The Alliance performed surprisingly well,. campaigningCampaigning on opposition to the proposed [[Multilateral Agreement on Investment]], they won 15% of the vote in a traditionally conservative electorate and finishing just two points behind Labour.{{sfn|Grant|2022|pp=287-8, 291}} Following the by-election the Alliance and Labour began co-operating, informally to begin with, in recognition that it would be the only way to win power. Anderton, his chief advisor Andrew Ladley and Lee met with Labour leader [[Helen Clark]], deputy [[Michael Cullen (politician)|Michael Cullen]], secretary Tony Timms and Clark's advisor [[Heather Simpson (civil servant)|Heather Simpson]] met to agree on forming a coalition with one another if they each won enough seats at the next election. Ladley and Simpson drew up briefs on what a Labour-Alliance government would look like and how it would work.{{sfn|Grant|2022|pp=294-5}}
 
== Fifth Labour Government ==
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==Retirement==
[[File:Jim Anderton CNZM Investiture.jpg|thumb|Anderton's CNZM Investiture in 2017]]
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=153-4153–4}}</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>
 
He was appointed a [[New Zealand Order of Merit|Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit]] in the [[2017 Birthday Honours (New Zealand)|2017 Queen's Birthday Honours]], for services as a Member of Parliament.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/honours/lists/qb2017-list | title=Queen's Birthday honours list 2017 |date=5 June 2017 | publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet | access-date=5 June 2017}}</ref> On 3 September 2017, he had a special investiture ceremony at Nazareth House attended by the [[Governor-General of New Zealand|Governor-General]] (Dame [[Patsy Reddy]]), the [[Mayor of Christchurch]] ([[Lianne Dalziel]]), and former Prime Minister [[Helen Clark]].<ref name="special investiture" />
 
==Death==
Anderton died in Christchurch on 7 January 2018, twoat weeksage before his 80th 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 |work=[[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>
 
Figures from across the [[political spectrum]] praised Anderton following his death, and the leaders of New Zealand's parliamentary parties paid tributes.<ref name="legacy"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Tributes for Jim Anderton: 'A man of integrity' |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/347600/tributes-for-jim-anderton-a-man-of-integrity |access-date=10 June 2021 |work=[[RNZ]] |date=2018-01-07 |language=en-nz}}</ref>
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[[Category:New Zealand MPs for Christchurch electorates]]
[[Category:Auckland regional councillors]]
[[Category:Deputy Primeprime Ministersministers of New Zealand]]
[[Category:Agriculture ministers of New Zealand]]
[[Category:Fisheries ministers of New Zealand]]