Story: Constitution

Helen Clark and Jim Anderton with their coalition agreement, 1999

Helen Clark and Jim Anderton with their coalition agreement, 1999

Labour leader and Prime Minister Helen Clark and Jim Anderton, leader of coalition partner the Alliance, hold up their coalition agreement in 1999. This was the first time coalition partners adopted 'agree to disagree' procedures to manage policy differences. Such procedures lessened the chances of cabinet becoming publicly divided and running the risk of losing the confidence of the House of Representatives. It did not stop parties from experiencing internal conflict – Jim Anderton left the Alliance to form a new party, the Progressives, in 2002.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Dominion Post Collection (PAColl-7327)
Reference: EP/1999/3784/28a
Photograph by Maarten Holl

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Matthew Palmer, 'Constitution - Constitutional change', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/35909/helen-clark-and-jim-anderton-with-their-coalition-agreement-1999 (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Matthew Palmer, published 20 Jun 2012