Labour Branches Against Petition (Press, 14 September 1974)

On 14 September 1974, the Labour Party's Hoon Hay and Addington branches announced their refusal to support a petition advocating for Mr John Kirk to represent the party in the upcoming by-election for the Sydenham electorate, following the passing of Mr Kirk’s father, the former Prime Minister. Mr D. B. O’Connell, the chairman of the Hoon Hay branch, stated that endorsing a single candidate would be undemocratic and contrary to the Labour Party's constitutional principles. He insisted that all candidates should be given the opportunity to present themselves to the selection committee. The expected Labour nominee is likely to be Mr J. F. W. Wybrow, the party’s general secretary. Despite this, there has been significant public support for Mr John Kirk, with many locals expressing their desire to see him succeed his father via a petition. Nonetheless, regardless of who receives the Labour nomination, a by-election is guaranteed, particularly since the National Party has decided not to run a candidate in the contest. In contrast, the newly formed Progressive Kiwi Party, led by Mr David Mitchell, will field a candidate for the by-election. Mr Mitchell, who operates a car speciality shop in Wellington, announced he would commence his campaign immediately. He plans to engage with voters directly in Sydenham over the weekend while also preparing other campaign logistics. Mr Mitchell's candidacy will encompass both the Progressive Kiwi Party and the Liberal Party, as the two groups have decided to collaborate for this election. He informed the media that while the Progressive Kiwi Party only has 80 members and is based in Wellington, it has a strong liberal agenda focusing on issues such as abortion law reform, decriminalisation of homosexual behaviour, support for solo parents, and ensuring that land ownership resides with New Zealanders. Prime Minister Mr Rowling commented on the National Party's choice to abstain from contesting the seat, expressing his surprise but respecting their rationale. He indicated a personal desire to demonstrate that the Government retained electoral support, suggesting that minor parties might also consider similar decisions to refrain from contesting the seat. Conversely, the president of the National Party, Mr G. A. Chapman, voiced discontent regarding the Social Credit Party's intentions to enter the race. He stated that the National Party had chosen to step aside out of respect for the late Mr Kirk and hoped other parties would follow suit, lamenting that Social Credit's participation seemed pointless since they had no realistic chance of victory.

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