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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]]. 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=[[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>
 
In the [[1996 New Zealand general election|1996 election]], the first to be held under the [[Mixed-member proportional representation|mixed-member proportional]] (MMP) system, the Alliance won 13 seats in Parliament. Anderton retained his constituency seat, now renamed [[Wigram (New Zealand electorate)|Wigram]], and he was joined in Parliament by 12 [[list MP]]s.{{sfn|Grant|2022|p=274}}
 
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> He later started a "Go Now" petition calling on Kopu and every other party-switching MP to resign; like Anderton himself in 1989, they chose not to resign.{{citation needed|date=May 2018}}
 
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 Minister [[Jim Bolger]] resigned from parliament triggering the [[1998 Taranaki-King Country by-election]]. The Alliance preformed surprisingly well, campaigning 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 ==
[[File:Kiwibank logo.png|thumb|upright|Creating [[Kiwibank]] has been cited as Anderton's greatest legacy]]
By the late 1990s, Labour under [[Helen Clark]]'s 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 (website)|Stuff]] |access-date=8 January 2018}}</ref>
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==References==
*{{cite book | last= Bassett | first= Michael | author-link=Michael Bassett | title=Working with David: Inside the Lange Cabinet | year=2008 | publisher=Hodder Moa | location=Auckland | isbn=978-1-86971-094-1 }}
*{{cite book |last=HaywardGrant |first=MargaretDavid |title=DiaryAnderton: ofHis theLife Kirkand YearsTimes |year=19812022 |publisher=[[ReedTe Publishing]]Herenga Waka University Press |location= AucklandWellington |isbn=05890135059781776920563 }}
*{{cite book |last=Hayward |first=Margaret |title=Diary of the Kirk Years |year=1981 |publisher=[[Reed Publishing]] |location=Auckland |isbn=0589013505 }}
 
== External links ==
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