Waka-jumping

New Zealanders speak colloquially of waka-jumping (or more conventionally, party-hopping) when elected politicians switch political parties between elections (taking their parliamentary seat with them and potentially upsetting electoral proportionality in the New Zealand Parliament). ^[1]

The advent of MMP in New Zealand parliamentary politics in the 1990s — culminating in the use of the new electoral system from 1996 onwards — led to a series of defections and re-alignments as the old monolithic two-party system broke up and many politicians struggled to define and project their images and beliefs in new parties and groupings. The new political climate tended to favour the foundation of political parties (whereas in former times dissidents had often simply became independent MPs). Voters tended to punish many waka-jumpers in this period, but some survived and flourished, often to the disgust of their former party colleagues. Due to the frequency of waka-jumping in national politics, New Zealand enacted legislation (the Electoral Integrity Act of 2001, expired at the 2005 election) which required politicians elected from a party list to resign from Parliament if they left their party's parliamentary caucus. As the actions of the Progressive Party in 2002 showed, parties can still find ways around such law.

Etymology

The Māori word waka applies often to a large Māori canoe (or any vehicle).

Waka-jumpers: 1989- 2009

• Jim Anderton, 1989, from Labour to NewLabour
• Ross Meurant, 1994 - 1996 from National to Right of Centre
• Peter Dunne, 1994 - 1995, from Labour to Future New Zealand
• Graham Lee, 1995 - 1996, from National to Christian Democrat
• Trevor Rogers, 1995 - 1996, from National to Right of Centre
• Clive Matthewson, 1995 - 1996, from Labour to United New Zealand
• Margaret Austin, 1995 - 1996, from Labour to United New Zealand
• Bruce Cliffe, 1995 - 1996, from National to United New Zealand
• Pauline Gardner, 1995 - 1996, from National to United New Zealand
• Peter Hilt, 1995 - 1996, from National to United New Zealand
• John Robertson, 1995 - 1996, from National to United New Zealand
• Michael Laws, 1996, from National to New Zealand First
• Alamein Kopu, 1997 - 1998, from Alliance to Mana Wahine
• Frank Grover, 1998-1999, from Alliance to Christian Heritage Party of New Zealand
• Tau Henare, 1998, from New Zealand First to Mauri Pacific
• Jack Elder, 1998, from New Zealand First to Mauri Pacific
• Peter McCardle, 1998, from New Zealand First to Mauri Pacific
• Tuariki Delamere, 1998, from New Zealand First to Mauri Pacific
• Deborah Morris, 1998, from New Zealand First to Independent
• Rana Waitai, 1998, from New Zealand First to Independent
• Tuku Morgan, 1998, from New Zealand First to Independent
• Ann Batten, 1998, from New Zealand First to Independent
• Donna Awatere Huata, 2003 - 2004, from ACT New Zealand to Independent
• Gordon Copeland, 2007-2008, from United Future New Zealand to The Kiwi Party
• Taito Phillip Field, 2007-2008, from New Zealand Labour Party to New Zealand Pacific Party

References