1984 New Zealand general election

The 1984 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the composition of the 41st New Zealand Parliament. It marked the beginning of the Fourth Labour Government, with David Lange's Labour Party defeating the long-serving Prime Minister, Robert Muldoon, of the National Party. It was also the last election in which the Social Credit Party won seats as an independent entity. The election was also the only one in which the New Zealand Party, a protest party, played any substantial role.

1984 New Zealand general election
14 July 1984
95 seats in the Parliament
48 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader David Lange Sir Robert Muldoon
Party Labour National
Leader since 3 February 1983 9 July 1974
Leader's seat Mangere Tamaki
Last election 43 seats, 39.01% 47 seats, 38.77%
Seats won 56 37
Seat change 13 10
Popular vote 829,154 692,494
Percentage 42.98% 35.89%
Swing 3.97% 2.88%
  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader Bruce Beetham Bob Jones
Party Social Credit NZ Party
Leader since 14 May 1972 21 August 1983
Leader's seat Rangitikei (lost seat) None (contested Ohariu)
Last election 2 seats, 20.65% Not yet founded
Seats won 2 0
Seat change 0 0
Popular vote 147,162 236,385
Percentage 7.63% 12.25%
Swing 13.02% 12.25%
Results of the election.
Prime Minister before election

Robert Muldoon
National

 Subsequent Prime Minister

David Lange
Labour

A snap election, Muldoon called for it a month prior. When doing so he was both live on television and visibly drunk, leading to the election being dubbed the "schnapps election".

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