Progressive in Parliament

Jim Anderton’s Progressive formed in 2002 from part of the former Alliance Party. The party registered with the Electoral Commission in June 2002 and first entered Parliament that same year.

Progressive was in coalition with two Labour-led governments from its inception in 2002 until November 2008.

The party is led and represented in Parliament by the Hon Jim Anderton, member for Wigram.

Progressive party message

’The Progressive Party aims to:

• achieve economic and social justice by creating a progressive, partnership economy with economic and social policy based on full employment, universal access to health care and education, environmental sustainability and the public ownership of our strategic assets;
• continue to foster a partnership between Maori and other New Zealanders that is based on developing Maori economic base through policies of regional and economic development and the unique nature of the foundation of our society.’

Source: Constitution of the New Zealand Progressive Party, http://www.progressiveparty.org.nz/pdfs/progressivepartyconstitution.pdf, accessed 4 April 2006.