Labour Party

The Labour Party is a New Zealand political party of the centre-left, one of the country's two dominant parties alongside the National Party. It advocates for social democratic policies including strong public services, workers' rights and, in recent years, measures to address climate change. The party governed New Zealand from 2017 to 2023 under Jacinda Ardern and later Chris Hipkins, a period marked by responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Christchurch mosque attacks. During its time in office, Labour introduced restrictions on new offshore oil and gas exploration permits as part of its climate agenda, a policy that proved contentious in energy-producing regions such as the Taranaki Basin. The party lost office to a National-led coalition under Christopher Luxon in the 2023 general election. Labour's support base traditionally includes urban voters, trade unions and public-sector workers. It sits within New Zealand's mixed-member proportional electoral system, requiring coalition-building with smaller parties to govern. As the official opposition, the party continues to shape debate on energy policy, including calls to reconsider exploration bans amid energy security concerns raised by figures such as Shane Jones. Labour's stance on hydrocarbon exploration remains a point of contrast with the current government's more permissive approach. The party traces its origins to the early twentieth century labour movement in New Zealand.