McGillicuddy Serious Party
Encyclopedia
The McGillicuddy Serious Party (McGSP) operated as a satirical
political party
in New Zealand politics
during the late 20th century. Between 1984 and 1999, McGillicuddy Serious provided "colour" to New Zealand politics to ensure that citizens not take the political process too seriously. The party's logo, the head of a medieval court jester
, indicated McGillicuddy Serious's status as a joke party.
The party stood candidates in the 1984, 1987, 1990, 1993, 1996 and 1999 General Elections; and the 1986, 1989, 1992, 1995, 1998 Local Body elections;
along with various local-body and parliamentary by-elections and even some university student-association elections.
The McGSP gained its highest ever number of votes in New Zealand's last first-past-the-post
(FPP) election in 1993
, when it stood candidates in 62 out of 99 electorates and received 11,714 votes: or 0.61% of all votes cast.
as the political arm of Clan McGillicuddy (established in 1978). Members of the Clan had previously stood as candidates in the 1983 local-body elections in the Waikato
, but the McGSP came together in time to contest the 1984 General Election. The party had a strong Scottish theme, with the kilt
considered one of the party's symbols. Candidates included a number of street-performers and comedic musical groups, such as The Big Muffin Serious Band.
pretender
s, Clan McGillicuddy in 1979 advanced Bonnie Prince Geoffie the Reluctant as replacement for Queen Elizabeth II
.
The Clan's armed wing, the McGillicuddy Highland Army
(McGHA), attempted to settle the matter by trial by combat
, challenging the New Zealand Army to a winner-takes-all pillow-fight; HM's official armed defenders declined the offer. Armed "pacifist" insurrection using harmless weapons having failed, the Clan reluctantly turned to the ballot-box, contesting general elections from 1984 to 1999. The Clan has not totally given up the fight however, as it continues to occasionally battle the loyalist forces of Alf's Imperial Army
, a pro-British pacifist-warfare group which supported The Wizard of New Zealand and which promoted McGillicuddy's rival for the silly-vote, the Imperial British Conservative Party
. The two armies' most recent battle was on 2 January 2008.
The party sometimes became the subject of aggression from unexpected quarters — in 1990 Green Party
candidate Warrick Pudney challenged his Te Atatu
rival to a paper-sword fight in Aotea Square
(the fight ended in a declared draw, with both combatants treated for paper-cuts).
to select the Canterbury
regional electorate candidates. Whoever remained sitting on one of the labelled chairs when the music stopped became the candidate for that seat. Potential candidates for proportional representation
(list) seats vied Cinderella-style by trying to fit into labelled shoes.
Central McGillicuddy Serious policies in every election included a return to a medieval lifestyle, known as the "Great Leap Backwards"
and (superficially) the restoration of a monarchy supposedly based on the Scottish Jacobite
line, in the name of Bonnie Prince Geoffie "the reluctant". At a deeper level the Party invoked the political system of Tibetan Buddhism
, with "stspm" (singularly transferable spirit possession monarchy) used as justification for the selection of Bonnie Prince Geoffie the reluctant as the undeniable head of the McState. This embodied the principles stated by the ancient Greeks that "no-one who seeks power should be allowed it." Bonnie Prince Geoffie refused consistently and permanently to have anything to do with the authority that this position gave him, and indeed ran for all he was worth and never had anything to do with McGillicuddy Serious ever again, thus proving his indisputable worthiness for the position.
Other policies at various times included:
in 1993, the McGillicuddy Serious candidate Greg Pittams, (who appeared in nationwide newspapers during this campaign wearing his "emperors new kilt" outfit, consisting of only a shirt and sporran
), finished second to Winston Peters
... a very, very distant second. Votes for McGillicuddy presumably most often represented protest vote
s, something that the party encouraged with one of its slogans: "If you want to waste your vote, vote for us."
As time went on, McGillicuddy Serious began to encounter the problem that often appears in joke parties — a debate about exactly how serious it should become. The original founders of the party essentially saw it as "a bit of fun", aimed at providing humour and entertainment. This remained a major part of McGillicuddy Serious throughout its history. Later recruits to the party however, sometimes saw the party's satire in a more serious context, regarding it as a tool with which people could ridicule and challenge the political establishment
. In particular a number of anarchist
s joined the party, seeing it as an antidote to the traditional order and intending to use the party as a vehicle to give anarchist policies a higher public profile. The dichotomy, in essence, grew between "satire for fun" and "satire to make a political point". Many of the party's original members resented what they saw as a usurpation of the party for more avowedly political and overdefined anarchist purposes, and felt that for the party to become openly "anarchist" would thus make some area of politics "off-limits" to satire. They saw this as an anathema
. In addition they saw having a clearly identifiable stance as lessening the party's effectiveness as satirists. Other members however, had little problem with the expression of more openly anarchist viewpoints.
campaign proved a disappointment. The McGillicuddy Serious Party gained only 0.15% of the vote, a considerable drop from its previous performances. Shortly after the election, the party disbanded and the Electoral Commission
officially deregistered it as a political party.
Party leader Graeme Cairns
marked the event and did penance for the party's election-loss by placing himself in stocks in Garden Place in Hamilton in December 1999 as disgruntled party members pelted him with rotten fruit.
, formerly held McGillicuddy Serious membership, and stood for Parliament as number 27 on the McGillicuddy's candidate list for the 1999 General Election. Other prominent McGillicuddy candidates from this first generation of McGillicuddy electioneering included founder and Party Leader Graeme Cairns
, the "Laird of Hamilton"; Mark Servian; KT Julian, a long-time Party Deputy-Leader; Adrian Holroyd; Cecil G. Murgatroyd
(who subsequently stood against Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke
under the Imperial British Conservative Party
banner); high-performance engineer and Admiral of the McGillicuddy Highland Navy Aaron Lloyd Franklin; Sam Buchanan; Steve Richards; Donna Demente
; and Penni Bousfield.
A former member put out the press-release without the knowledge of the Clan McGillicuddy's senior members or of the McGSP's former leadership
.
After intense discussions within the Clan McGillicuddy, no further press releases appeared, no official party registration took place, and neither the party nor any candidates appeared on the 2005 ballot.
One candidate stood under the McGillicuddy Serious banner in the 2008 general election
: Steve Richards, who contested the West Coast-Tasman
electorate) and received 259 votes.
An McGSP member from the Party's early days, Richards had stood as a candidate in previous elections.
on 31 December 2007 saw McGillicuddy "Martians" take on Alf's Imperial Army in an enactment of The War of the Worlds
.
Youtube hosts a video of this battle.
The Bill and Ben Party
emerged as an alternative New Zealand joke political party
in 2008. The Bill and Ben Party is different to McGillicuddy in the sense that the 'joke' centers around alcohol use and youthful behaviour as opposed to satire
.
Videos
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in New Zealand politics
Politics of New Zealand
The politics of New Zealand take place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic monarchy. The basic system is closely patterned on that of the Westminster System, although a number of significant modifications have been made...
during the late 20th century. Between 1984 and 1999, McGillicuddy Serious provided "colour" to New Zealand politics to ensure that citizens not take the political process too seriously. The party's logo, the head of a medieval court jester
Court jester
A jester, joker, jokester, fool, wit-cracker, prankster, or buffoon was a person employed to tell jokes and provide general entertainment, typically for a European monarch. Jesters are stereotypically thought to have worn brightly colored clothes and eccentric hats in a motley pattern...
, indicated McGillicuddy Serious's status as a joke party.
The party stood candidates in the 1984, 1987, 1990, 1993, 1996 and 1999 General Elections; and the 1986, 1989, 1992, 1995, 1998 Local Body elections;
along with various local-body and parliamentary by-elections and even some university student-association elections.
The McGSP gained its highest ever number of votes in New Zealand's last first-past-the-post
First-past-the-post
First-past-the-post voting refers to an election won by the candidate with the most votes. The winning potato candidate does not necessarily receive an absolute majority of all votes cast.-Overview:...
(FPP) election in 1993
New Zealand general election, 1993
The 1993 New Zealand general election was held on 6 November 1993 to determine the composition of the 44th New Zealand Parliament. It saw the governing National Party, led by Jim Bolger, win a second term in office, despite a major swing back towards the Labour Party. The new Alliance and New...
, when it stood candidates in 62 out of 99 electorates and received 11,714 votes: or 0.61% of all votes cast.
Origins
The McGillicuddy Serious Party was formed in 1984 in HamiltonHamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
as the political arm of Clan McGillicuddy (established in 1978). Members of the Clan had previously stood as candidates in the 1983 local-body elections in the Waikato
Waikato
The Waikato Region is a local government region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato, Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsula, the northern King Country, much of the Taupo District, and parts of Rotorua District...
, but the McGSP came together in time to contest the 1984 General Election. The party had a strong Scottish theme, with the kilt
Kilt
The kilt is a knee-length garment with pleats at the rear, originating in the traditional dress of men and boys in the Scottish Highlands of the 16th century. Since the 19th century it has become associated with the wider culture of Scotland in general, or with Celtic heritage even more broadly...
considered one of the party's symbols. Candidates included a number of street-performers and comedic musical groups, such as The Big Muffin Serious Band.
Challenge for the Crown
After discovering that he had some (rather obscure) relationship to the StuartHouse of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
pretender
Pretender
A pretender is one who claims entitlement to an unavailable position of honour or rank. Most often it refers to a former monarch, or descendant thereof, whose throne is occupied or claimed by a rival, or has been abolished....
s, Clan McGillicuddy in 1979 advanced Bonnie Prince Geoffie the Reluctant as replacement for Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
.
The Clan's armed wing, the McGillicuddy Highland Army
McGillicuddy Highland Army
The McGillicuddy Highland Army is the fighting wing of New Zealand's Clan McGillicuddy and does battle with enemies of the Clan in accordance with the rules of the pastime of pacifist warfare. Battles have taken place at wide range of locations and events around the country...
(McGHA), attempted to settle the matter by trial by combat
Trial by combat
Trial by combat was a method of Germanic law to settle accusations in the absence of witnesses or a confession, in which two parties in dispute fought in single combat; the winner of the fight was proclaimed to be right. In essence, it is a judicially sanctioned duel...
, challenging the New Zealand Army to a winner-takes-all pillow-fight; HM's official armed defenders declined the offer. Armed "pacifist" insurrection using harmless weapons having failed, the Clan reluctantly turned to the ballot-box, contesting general elections from 1984 to 1999. The Clan has not totally given up the fight however, as it continues to occasionally battle the loyalist forces of Alf's Imperial Army
Alf's Imperial Army
Alf's Imperial Army, founded in 1972 , by Ian Brackenbury Channell is New Zealand's longest-running and largest pacifist warfare organisation. Organised loosely along military lines, it has Regiments in several New Zealand towns and cities...
, a pro-British pacifist-warfare group which supported The Wizard of New Zealand and which promoted McGillicuddy's rival for the silly-vote, the Imperial British Conservative Party
Imperial British Conservative Party
The Imperial British Conservative Party was a farcical political party founded by The Wizard of New Zealand. It was dedicated to the grand traditions of British Imperialism in the face of capitalism, globalisation and the distinct lack of culture in Christchurch, New Zealand.The Imperial British...
. The two armies' most recent battle was on 2 January 2008.
The party sometimes became the subject of aggression from unexpected quarters — in 1990 Green Party
Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand
The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand is a political party that has seats in the New Zealand parliament. It focuses firstly on environmentalism, arguing that all other aspects of humanity will cease to be of concern if there is no environment to sustain it...
candidate Warrick Pudney challenged his Te Atatu
Te Atatu
Te Atatu is the name of two suburbs in western Auckland, New Zealand: Te Atatu Peninsula and Te Atatu South. They are located next to each other some 10 kilometres to the west of the Auckland city centre....
rival to a paper-sword fight in Aotea Square
Aotea Square
Aotea Square is a large paved public area in the CBD, of Auckland, New Zealand. Officially opened in 1979 by Sir Dove-Myer Robinson next to Queen Street, it is used for open-air concerts and gatherings, and markets and political rallies....
(the fight ended in a declared draw, with both combatants treated for paper-cuts).
Selecting candidates
At one point the Party selected its electoral candidates through trial by combat, with newspaper swords and water-balloons, the loser of the combat becoming the candidate. In 1996 a giant game of musical chairs took place in Cathedral Square, ChristchurchCathedral Square, Christchurch
Cathedral Square, locally known simply as the Square, is the geographical centre and heart of Christchurch, New Zealand, where the city's Anglican cathedral, ChristChurch Cathedral is located...
to select the Canterbury
Canterbury, New Zealand
The New Zealand region of Canterbury is mainly composed of the Canterbury Plains and the surrounding mountains. Its main city, Christchurch, hosts the main office of the Christchurch City Council, the Canterbury Regional Council - called Environment Canterbury - and the University of Canterbury.-...
regional electorate candidates. Whoever remained sitting on one of the labelled chairs when the music stopped became the candidate for that seat. Potential candidates for proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
(list) seats vied Cinderella-style by trying to fit into labelled shoes.
Policies
The McGillicuddy Serious Party selected its policies on the basis of their absurdity and their impracticality.Central McGillicuddy Serious policies in every election included a return to a medieval lifestyle, known as the "Great Leap Backwards"
Great Leap Forward
The Great Leap Forward of the People's Republic of China was an economic and social campaign of the Communist Party of China , reflected in planning decisions from 1958 to 1961, which aimed to use China's vast population to rapidly transform the country from an agrarian economy into a modern...
and (superficially) the restoration of a monarchy supposedly based on the Scottish Jacobite
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
line, in the name of Bonnie Prince Geoffie "the reluctant". At a deeper level the Party invoked the political system of Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and India . It is the state religion of Bhutan...
, with "stspm" (singularly transferable spirit possession monarchy) used as justification for the selection of Bonnie Prince Geoffie the reluctant as the undeniable head of the McState. This embodied the principles stated by the ancient Greeks that "no-one who seeks power should be allowed it." Bonnie Prince Geoffie refused consistently and permanently to have anything to do with the authority that this position gave him, and indeed ran for all he was worth and never had anything to do with McGillicuddy Serious ever again, thus proving his indisputable worthiness for the position.
Other policies at various times included:
- Free dungFecesFeces, faeces, or fæces is a waste product from an animal's digestive tract expelled through the anus or cloaca during defecation.-Etymology:...
- Sending out intelligence agents around the world to wipe New Zealand off published maps, thus ensuring no-one could invade the country.
- Standing a dog for parliament in the Hobson seat in Northland. Her policies included the abolition of cars, and turning a meat-works into an organic flea-powder factory.
- The abolition of money: Replacing money with chocolate fishChocolate fishThe chocolate fish is a confectionery from New Zealand. These candies are fish-shaped, are 6 to 8 inches in length, and are made of pink or white marshmallow covered in a thin layer of milk chocolate. Several companies make the fish but the most well recognised is Cadbury, which makes foiled and...
or with sand as legal tender. - The demolition of The BeehiveBeehive (building)The Beehive is the common name for the Executive Wing of the New Zealand Parliament Buildings, located at the corner of Molesworth Street and Lambton Quay, Wellington...
: The demolition of New Zealand's parliamentParliament of New ZealandThe Parliament of New Zealand consists of the Queen of New Zealand and the New Zealand House of Representatives and, until 1951, the New Zealand Legislative Council. The House of Representatives is often referred to as "Parliament".The House of Representatives usually consists of 120 Members of...
buildings, and all other buildings on a last-up, first-down basis. - The diversion of all of NZ aluminium production away from building US military aircraft and missiles in order to build giant space-mirrors to melt the polar icecaps and destroy all of the foolish greed-worshipping cities of man in one stroke, thereby returning man to the sea, which he should never have left in the first place (this the inspiration of the Admiral of the Highland Navy Aaron Franklin).
- Raising the school leaving-ageSchool leaving ageThe school leaving age states the minimum age person is legally allowed to leave compulsory education...
to sixty-five (after Parliament raised the school leaving-age by one unambitious year) - Full unemployment; or (at other times) full employment through slaverySlaverySlavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
- Using beerBeerBeer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
as a National Defence strategy: leaving many bottles of beer on all beaches, so that any invading army would abandon its attack and get drunk instead whilst that the broken bottles would prevent the army advancing any further anyway. - Restricting the vote to minorMinor (law)In law, a minor is a person under a certain age — the age of majority — which legally demarcates childhood from adulthood; the age depends upon jurisdiction and application, but is typically 18...
s: i.e., ONLY those under 18 years of age could vote (announced when Parliament lowered the voting age to 18 years). The party ran its 1993 electoral advertisements during children's programming. - Student loans for Plunket (or at other times, KindergartenKindergartenA kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
) attendance: Prior to the 1984 election, David LangeDavid LangeDavid Russell Lange, ONZ, CH , served as the 32nd Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1984 to 1989. He headed New Zealand's fourth Labour Government, one of the most reforming administrations in his country's history, but one which did not always conform to traditional expectations of a...
's Labour PartyNew Zealand Labour PartyThe New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
promised to maintain free tertiary educationTertiary educationTertiary education, also referred to as third stage, third level, and post-secondary education, is the educational level following the completion of a school providing a secondary education, such as a high school, secondary school, university-preparatory school...
, but Labour's Education Minister, Phil GoffPhil GoffPhilip Bruce Goff is the current Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party. During the Fifth Labour Government, he served in a number of ministerial portfolios, including Minister of Defence of New Zealand, Minister of Corrections, Minister of Foreign Affairs and...
, introduced student fees when elected. National PartyNew Zealand National PartyThe New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
education spokesman Lockwood SmithLockwood SmithAlexander Lockwood Smith is a New Zealand politician, the 28th and current Speaker of the House of Representatives. Smith is a member of the New Zealand National Party, who has served as a Member of Parliament since 1984...
promised a return to free education if elected, but did not carry out this promise. Most McGillicuddy supporters, many of them students, felt displeased that both major political parties had deemed free tertiary education unsustainable, but had deliberately lied about their intentions in order to attract votes. - Abandoning male suffrageSuffrageSuffrage, political franchise, or simply the franchise, distinct from mere voting rights, is the civil right to vote gained through the democratic process...
: New Zealand, the first nation to achieve women's suffrageWomen's suffrageWomen's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
(in 1893), made a big deal of the centenary of this at the time of the 1993 elections. - Full hedgehog suffrage: After a goat successfully received nomination in a local body election on Waiheke IslandWaiheke IslandWaiheke Island is an island in the Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand, located about from Auckland.The island is the second-largest in the Hauraki Gulf after Great Barrier Island. It is the most populated, with nearly 8,000 permanent residents plus another estimated 3,400 who have second or holiday homes...
, the party unsuccessfully attempted to stand a hedgehogHedgehogA hedgehog is any of the spiny mammals of the subfamily Erinaceinae and the order Erinaceomorpha. There are 17 species of hedgehog in five genera, found through parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, and New Zealand . There are no hedgehogs native to Australia, and no living species native to the Americas...
for Parliament, apparently solely in order to make "prick" jokes. - Votes for trees: New Zealanders have a reputation as environmentalistEnvironmentalismEnvironmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
s, and the University of AucklandUniversity of AucklandThe University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...
's ex-Marxist law-lecturer Klaus Bosselmann actually seriously advocated giving trees (and other bits of the environment), some legal standing. The McGillicuddies could not decide on whether native trees should have the option to vote in Māori electorateElectoral districtAn electoral district is a distinct territorial subdivision for holding a separate election for one or more seats in a legislative body...
s, whether male trees as well as female trees should vote, and on the status of shrubs. - The demolition of the AucklandAucklandThe Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
CBDCentral business districtA central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
in order to create a giant sundialSundialA sundial is a device that measures time by the position of the Sun. In common designs such as the horizontal sundial, the sun casts a shadow from its style onto a surface marked with lines indicating the hours of the day. The style is the time-telling edge of the gnomon, often a thin rod or a...
, using the Sky TowerSky TowerThe Sky Tower is an observation and telecommunications tower located on the corner of Victoria and Federal Streets in the Auckland CBD, Auckland City, New Zealand. It is tall, as measured from ground level to the top of the mast, making it the tallest free-standing structure in the Southern...
as the gnomonGnomonThe gnomon is the part of a sundial that casts the shadow. Gnomon is an ancient Greek word meaning "indicator", "one who discerns," or "that which reveals."It has come to be used for a variety of purposes in mathematics and other fields....
. Or at other times, to protect the Sky Tower by placing a condomCondomA condom is a barrier device most commonly used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy and spreading sexually transmitted diseases . It is put on a man's erect penis and physically blocks ejaculated semen from entering the body of a sexual partner...
over it. - Replacing the Royal New Zealand Armoured CorpsRoyal New Zealand Armoured CorpsThe Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps is the overall umbrella grouping of Regular Force and Territorial Force units equipped with armoured vehicles in the New Zealand Army. The corps was formed in 1942 as the New Zealand Armoured Corps, before being given the Royal prefix in 1947...
with Mounted Knights: claimed as more modern. The New Zealand ArmyNew Zealand ArmyThe New Zealand Army , is the land component of the New Zealand Defence Force and comprises around 4,500 Regular Force personnel, 2,000 Territorial Force personnel and 500 civilians. Formerly the New Zealand Military Forces, the current name was adopted around 1946...
's outdated equipment became a constant source of quips and embarrassment in the 1990s — at the time Queen Alexandra's Mounted RiflesQueen Alexandra's Mounted RiflesQueen Alexandra's Mounted Rifles is an armoured squadron of the New Zealand Army and forms part of the Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps. The squadron was formed in 1864 and is currently an armoured cavalry unit equipped with NZLAV.- History :...
operated FV101 ScorpionFV101 ScorpionThe FV101 Scorpion is a British armoured reconnaissance vehicle. It was the lead vehicle and the fire support type in the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance , CVR, family of seven armoured vehicles...
s and M-113M113 armored personnel carrierThe M113 is a fully tracked armored personnel carrier that has formed the backbone of the United States Army's mechanized infantry units from the time of its first fielding in Vietnam in April 1962. The M113 was the most widely used armored vehicle of the U.S...
s. - Building dreadnoughtDreadnoughtThe dreadnought was the predominant type of 20th-century battleship. The first of the kind, the Royal Navy's had such an impact when launched in 1906 that similar battleships built after her were referred to as "dreadnoughts", and earlier battleships became known as pre-dreadnoughts...
s in the Tamaki EstuaryTamaki RiverThe Tamaki River is, despite its name, mostly an estuarial arm and harbour of the Hauraki Gulf, within the city of Auckland in New Zealand. It extends south for 15 kilometres from its mouth between the Auckland suburb of Saint Heliers and the long thin peninsula of Bucklands Beach, which reaches...
: A reference to the Royal New Zealand NavyRoyal New Zealand NavyThe Royal New Zealand Navy is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...
's controversial purchase of Anzac class frigateAnzac class frigateThe Anzac class is a ship class of ten frigates; eight operated by the Royal Australian Navy and two operated by the Royal New Zealand Navy...
s. - An All Whites victory in the Football World CupFIFA World CupThe FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
: Both the Labour PartyNew Zealand Labour PartyThe New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
and the National PartyNew Zealand National PartyThe New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
used the All BlacksAll BlacksThe New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
' victory in the 1987 Rugby World Cup1987 Rugby World CupThe 1987 Rugby World Cup was the first Rugby World Cup. New Zealand and Australia agreed to co-host the first ever tournament with New Zealand hosting seventeen pool stage matches, two quarter-finals and the final with Australia being the junior partner hosting seven pool matches, two...
in their 1990 campaigning — the All Whites stood about as much chance of winning the Football World Cup as BrazilBrazil national rugby union teamThe Brazil national rugby union team is the national side of Brazil, representing them at rugby union. Brazil is a third tier rugby union side, and have yet to make their debut at the Rugby World Cup. Rugby union has been growing substantially in Brazil since 2005 and the number of players is...
have of winning the Rugby version. - An indecent society: Jim BolgerJim BolgerJames Brendan "Jim" Bolger, ONZ was the 35th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1990 to 1997. Bolger was elected on the promise of delivering a "Decent Society" following the previous Labour government's economic reforms, known as Rogernomics...
's National PartyNew Zealand National PartyThe New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
used the slogan "A Decent Society". - A potato faminePotato faminePotato famine may refer to:* Great Famine , the famine in Ireland between 1845 and 1852* Highland Potato Famine, a major agrarian crisis in the Scottish Highlands from 1846 to 1857...
: Prime Minister Jim BolgerJim BolgerJames Brendan "Jim" Bolger, ONZ was the 35th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1990 to 1997. Bolger was elected on the promise of delivering a "Decent Society" following the previous Labour government's economic reforms, known as Rogernomics...
's somewhat pock-marked countenance bore an unfortunate resemblance to the common garden potato. Much to his displeasure, he became widely known as "Spud"; the Royal New Zealand Air ForceRoyal New Zealand Air ForceThe Royal New Zealand Air Force is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...
, with a typically KiwiKiwi (people)Kiwi is the nickname used internationally for people from New Zealand, as well as being a relatively common self-reference. The name derives from the kiwi, a flightless bird, which is native to, and the national symbol of, New Zealand...
lack of reverence, christened his Boeing 727Boeing 727The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
"Spud OneSpud OneSpud One was an informal name adopted by New Zealand civil servants for the Boeing 727 aircraft of No. 40 Squadron RNZAF, Royal New Zealand Air Force carrying Prime Minister Jim Bolger....
". - Limiting the speed of lightSpeed of lightThe speed of light in vacuum, usually denoted by c, is a physical constant important in many areas of physics. Its value is 299,792,458 metres per second, a figure that is exact since the length of the metre is defined from this constant and the international standard for time...
to 100 km/h: 50 km/h in Mt RoskillMount Roskill, New ZealandMount Roskill is both a volcanic peak and the suburban area in the city of Auckland, New Zealand.- Mountain :The peak, which is to the southwest end of the suburb, is 110 metres in height, and is one of the many extinct cones which dot the isthmus of Auckland, all of which are part of the Auckland...
, (Auckland's Bible BeltBible BeltBible Belt is an informal term for a region in the southeastern and south-central United States in which socially conservative evangelical Protestantism is a significant part of the culture and Christian church attendance across the denominations is generally higher than the nation's average.The...
), because folks there preferred to stay less enlightened. - Linking the North IslandNorth IslandThe North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
and South IslandSouth IslandThe South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
: by bulldozing the Southern AlpsSouthern AlpsThe Southern Alps is a mountain range extending along much of the length of New Zealand's South Island, reaching its greatest elevations near the island's western side...
into Cook StraitCook StraitCook Strait is the strait between the North and South Islands of New Zealand. It connects the Tasman Sea on the west with the South Pacific Ocean on the east....
. - Post-natal abortionAbortionAbortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
: The McGillicuddies would make abortion illegal, but any mother could kill her child up to the age of 18, provided she did it with her own hands. The Party designed this policy to offend all sides in the abortion debate. The fundamentalist Christian Heritage PartyChristian Heritage New ZealandThe Christian Heritage Party of New Zealand was a New Zealand political party espousing Christian values...
used abortion as a major policy. - Mandatory homosexualityHomosexualityHomosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
for 33% of the population — also devised to annoy the fundamentalists. - Free castrationCastrationCastration is any action, surgical, chemical, or otherwise, by which a male loses the functions of the testicles or a female loses the functions of the ovaries.-Humans:...
s - Air bags for the New Zealand Stock Exchange (following the 1987 stock market crashStock market crashA stock market crash is a sudden dramatic decline of stock prices across a significant cross-section of a stock market, resulting in a significant loss of paper wealth. Crashes are driven by panic as much as by underlying economic factors...
) - Replacing the Queen's chain with hempHempHemp is mostly used as a name for low tetrahydrocannabinol strains of the plant Cannabis sativa, of fiber and/or oilseed varieties. In modern times, hemp has been used for industrial purposes including paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, construction, health food and fuel with modest...
: The Labour PartyNew Zealand Labour PartyThe New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
had a policy of protecting and extending the Queen's chain (publicly-accessible land bordering watercourses), forcing farmerFarmerA farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
s and iwiIwiIn New Zealand society, iwi form the largest everyday social units in Māori culture. The word iwi means "'peoples' or 'nations'. In "the work of European writers which treat iwi and hapū as parts of a hierarchical structure", it has been used to mean "tribe" , or confederation of tribes,...
to allow public access to waterways. Candidate Dominic Worthington proposed replacing the chain with more environmentally-sound hemp; with the QueenQueen regnantA queen regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right, in contrast to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reigning king. An empress regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right over an empire....
, of course, replaced by Prince Geoffie the reluctant. Rather than limiting the chain to protecting waterWaterWater is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
in aqueous form, the King's hemp would also serve to hold together water in solid form, as in the iceIceIce is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
in New Zealand's glacierGlacierA glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
s and Antarctic territoryRoss DependencyThe Ross Dependency is a region of Antarctica defined by a sector originating at the South Pole, passing along longitudes 160° east to 150° west, and terminating at latitude 60° south...
, in particular, the Ross Ice ShelfRoss Ice ShelfThe Ross Ice Shelf is the largest ice shelf of Antarctica . It is several hundred metres thick. The nearly vertical ice front to the open sea is more than 600 km long, and between 15 and 50 metres high above the water surface...
(alleviating environmentalists' concerns that the ice shelf might collapse and raise seaSeaA sea generally refers to a large body of salt water, but the term is used in other contexts as well. Most commonly, it means a large expanse of saline water connected with an ocean, and is commonly used as a synonym for ocean...
-levels). Ultimately, McGillicuddy policy envisaged that technologyTechnologyTechnology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
would regress far enough for it to become feasible to lassoLassoA lasso , also referred to as a lariat, riata, or reata , is a loop of rope that is designed to be thrown around a target and tighten when pulled. It is a well-known tool of the American cowboy. The word is also a verb; to lasso is to successfully throw the loop of rope around something...
water in gaseous form (i.e. clouds). - Fixing accountantAccountantAn accountant is a practitioner of accountancy or accounting , which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.The Big Four auditors are the largest...
s in concreteConcreteConcrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
and using them as trafficTrafficTraffic on roads may consist of pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using the public way for purposes of travel...
barriers: Occasionally accompanied by a pledge to steal some of the Monster Raving Loony PartyOfficial Monster Raving Loony PartyThe Official Monster Raving Loony Party is a registered political party established in the United Kingdom in 1983 by musician and politician David Sutch , better known as Screaming Lord Sutch.-History:...
's other policies as well — so possibly a reference to New Zealand political parties accusing each other of stealing policies, or possibly just silliness. - Good weather (but only if voters behaved).
- Full employment by carpeting the national highways: This would also save wear and tear on vehicle-tyres
- To break their promises
Decline and plummet
McGillicuddy Serious attracted a surprising level of support, and became one of the larger parties outside parliament. On a number of occasions, particularly following the introduction of the mixed member proportional (MMP) electoral system, pundits predicted that McGillicuddy Serious might actually win parliamentary representation, but this never happened. When the major parties boycotted the Tauranga by-election 1993Tauranga by-election 1993
The Tauranga by-election was a by-election in the New Zealand electorate of Tauranga, a city in New Zealand's North Island. It took place on 17 April 1993, and was precipitated by the resignation from parliament of sitting MP Winston Peters. Peters, who had been increasingly at odds with his...
in 1993, the McGillicuddy Serious candidate Greg Pittams, (who appeared in nationwide newspapers during this campaign wearing his "emperors new kilt" outfit, consisting of only a shirt and sporran
Sporran
The Sporran is a traditional part of male Scottish Highland dress. It is a pouch that performs the same function as pockets on the pocketless Scottish kilt....
), finished second to Winston Peters
Winston Peters
Winston Raymond Peters is a New Zealand politician and leader of New Zealand First, a political party he founded in 1993. Peters has had a turbulent political career since entering Parliament in 1978. He served as Minister of Maori Affairs in the Bolger National Party Government before being...
... a very, very distant second. Votes for McGillicuddy presumably most often represented protest vote
Protest vote
A protest vote is a vote cast in an election to demonstrate the caster's unhappiness with the choice of candidates or refusal of the current political system...
s, something that the party encouraged with one of its slogans: "If you want to waste your vote, vote for us."
As time went on, McGillicuddy Serious began to encounter the problem that often appears in joke parties — a debate about exactly how serious it should become. The original founders of the party essentially saw it as "a bit of fun", aimed at providing humour and entertainment. This remained a major part of McGillicuddy Serious throughout its history. Later recruits to the party however, sometimes saw the party's satire in a more serious context, regarding it as a tool with which people could ridicule and challenge the political establishment
The Establishment
The Establishment is a term used to refer to a visible dominant group or elite that holds power or authority in a nation. The term suggests a closed social group which selects its own members...
. In particular a number of anarchist
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
s joined the party, seeing it as an antidote to the traditional order and intending to use the party as a vehicle to give anarchist policies a higher public profile. The dichotomy, in essence, grew between "satire for fun" and "satire to make a political point". Many of the party's original members resented what they saw as a usurpation of the party for more avowedly political and overdefined anarchist purposes, and felt that for the party to become openly "anarchist" would thus make some area of politics "off-limits" to satire. They saw this as an anathema
Anathema
Anathema originally meant something lifted up as an offering to the gods; it later evolved to mean:...
. In addition they saw having a clearly identifiable stance as lessening the party's effectiveness as satirists. Other members however, had little problem with the expression of more openly anarchist viewpoints.
Disbandment and deregistration
The 1999 electionNew Zealand general election, 1999
The 1999 New Zealand general election was held on 27 November 1999 to determine the composition of the 46th New Zealand Parliament. The governing National Party, led by Prime Minister Jenny Shipley, was defeated, being replaced by a coalition of Helen Clark's Labour Party and the smaller Alliance...
campaign proved a disappointment. The McGillicuddy Serious Party gained only 0.15% of the vote, a considerable drop from its previous performances. Shortly after the election, the party disbanded and the Electoral Commission
Electoral Commission (New Zealand)
The Electoral Commission of New Zealand is a governmental body responsible for administering certain aspects of the country's electoral system....
officially deregistered it as a political party.
Party leader Graeme Cairns
Graeme Cairns
Graeme Cairns is a New Zealand musician, artist, and political candidate. He is perhaps best known for his role as "Laird McGillicuddy", chief of the Clan McGillicuddy, and as the only-ever leader of the Clan's satirical McGillicuddy Serious political party...
marked the event and did penance for the party's election-loss by placing himself in stocks in Garden Place in Hamilton in December 1999 as disgruntled party members pelted him with rotten fruit.
Electoral results
The following table summarises the party's support in general elections from 1990 onwards.| Election | Number of electorate votes | Share of electorate votes | Number of party votes | Share of party votes | Seats | Outcome of election |
| 1990 New Zealand general election, 1990 The 1990 New Zealand general election was held on 27 October to determine the composition of the 43rd New Zealand parliament. The governing Labour Party was defeated, ending its controversial two terms in office... |
9,918 | 0.54% | - | - | 0 | National Party victory |
| 1993 New Zealand general election, 1993 The 1993 New Zealand general election was held on 6 November 1993 to determine the composition of the 44th New Zealand Parliament. It saw the governing National Party, led by Jim Bolger, win a second term in office, despite a major swing back towards the Labour Party. The new Alliance and New... |
11,714 | 0.61% | - | - | 0 | National Party victory |
| 1996 New Zealand general election, 1996 The 1996 New Zealand general election was held on 12 October 1996 to determine the composition of the 45th New Zealand Parliament. It was notable for being the first election to be held under the new Mixed Member Proportional electoral system, and produced a parliament considerably more diverse... |
12,177 | 0.59% | 5,990 | 0.29% | 0 | National-based coalition government |
| 1999 New Zealand general election, 1999 The 1999 New Zealand general election was held on 27 November 1999 to determine the composition of the 46th New Zealand Parliament. The governing National Party, led by Prime Minister Jenny Shipley, was defeated, being replaced by a coalition of Helen Clark's Labour Party and the smaller Alliance... |
3,633 | 0.18% | 3,191 | 0.15% | 0 | Labour-based coalition government |
McGillicuddy candidates
A number of former McGillicuddy Serious members went on to stand as candidates for "real" parties. Co-leader of the Green party, Metiria TureiMetiria Turei
Metiria Leanne Agnes Stanton Turei is a New Zealand member of Parliament and the female co-leader of the Green Party. she is the Green Party spokesperson on Social Equity, Electoral Reform, Māori and Treaty Issues, Housing and Children....
, formerly held McGillicuddy Serious membership, and stood for Parliament as number 27 on the McGillicuddy's candidate list for the 1999 General Election. Other prominent McGillicuddy candidates from this first generation of McGillicuddy electioneering included founder and Party Leader Graeme Cairns
Graeme Cairns
Graeme Cairns is a New Zealand musician, artist, and political candidate. He is perhaps best known for his role as "Laird McGillicuddy", chief of the Clan McGillicuddy, and as the only-ever leader of the Clan's satirical McGillicuddy Serious political party...
, the "Laird of Hamilton"; Mark Servian; KT Julian, a long-time Party Deputy-Leader; Adrian Holroyd; Cecil G. Murgatroyd
Cecil G. Murgatroyd
Cecil G. Murgatroyd was mainly known for being involved in New Zealand national politics along with Australian Federal and State politics, and for his role in the 1998 Australian Constitutional convention...
(who subsequently stood against Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke
Bob Hawke
Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister....
under the Imperial British Conservative Party
Imperial British Conservative Party
The Imperial British Conservative Party was a farcical political party founded by The Wizard of New Zealand. It was dedicated to the grand traditions of British Imperialism in the face of capitalism, globalisation and the distinct lack of culture in Christchurch, New Zealand.The Imperial British...
banner); high-performance engineer and Admiral of the McGillicuddy Highland Navy Aaron Lloyd Franklin; Sam Buchanan; Steve Richards; Donna Demente
Donna Demente
Donna Demente is a New Zealand artist. She is a 1987 graduate of the University of Auckland's Elam School of Fine Arts. She specialises in extreme close-up portraiture, with the emphasis on eyes, and also works with masks. Her style is heavily influenced by mediaeval art...
; and Penni Bousfield.
Younger pretenders
Some of the party's original members became upset at the cancellation of their lifetime membership. In July 2005 a "McGillicuddy Serious Party" put out a press-release announcing plans to participate in the 2005 General election — one initial policy involving replacing MPs with harmless jargon-generators.A former member put out the press-release without the knowledge of the Clan McGillicuddy's senior members or of the McGSP's former leadership
Leadership
Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...
.
After intense discussions within the Clan McGillicuddy, no further press releases appeared, no official party registration took place, and neither the party nor any candidates appeared on the 2005 ballot.
One candidate stood under the McGillicuddy Serious banner in the 2008 general election
New Zealand general election, 2008
The 2008 New Zealand general election was held on 8 November 2008 to determine the composition of the 49th New Zealand parliament. The conservative National Party, headed by its Parliamentary leader John Key, won a plurality of votes and seats, ending 9 years of government dominated by the social...
: Steve Richards, who contested the West Coast-Tasman
West Coast-Tasman
West Coast-Tasman is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate. It is the largest General electorate by land area.It is currently held by Damien O'Connor MP.-Population Centres:The electorate includes the following population centres:*Collingwood*Greymouth...
electorate) and received 259 votes.
An McGSP member from the Party's early days, Richards had stood as a candidate in previous elections.
Current status
Despite the demise of the McGSP, Clan McGillicuddy still holds regular public events. For example, a pacifist battle in OamaruOamaru
Oamaru , the largest town in North Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand, is the main town in the Waitaki District. It is 80 kilometres south of Timaru and 120 kilometres north of Dunedin, on the Pacific coast, and State Highway 1 and the railway Main South Line connects it to both...
on 31 December 2007 saw McGillicuddy "Martians" take on Alf's Imperial Army in an enactment of The War of the Worlds
The War of the Worlds
The War of the Worlds is an 1898 science fiction novel written by H. G. Wells.The War of the Worlds may also refer to:- Radio broadcasts :* The War of the Worlds , the 1938 radio broadcast by Orson Welles...
.
Youtube hosts a video of this battle.
The Bill and Ben Party
Bill and Ben Party
The Bill and Ben Party was a New Zealand joke political party formed in 2008 and voluntarily deregistered in 2010. The party's leaders were Jamie Linehan and Ben Boyce of the TV3 satirical sports show Pulp Sport...
emerged as an alternative New Zealand joke political party
Joke political party
A frivolous party or a joke party is a political party which has been created for the purposes of entertainment or political satire. Such a party may or may not have a serious point behind its activities...
in 2008. The Bill and Ben Party is different to McGillicuddy in the sense that the 'joke' centers around alcohol use and youthful behaviour as opposed to satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
.
External links
Videos
- McGSP advert http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4928557214398128728&hl=en from the 1993 electoral campaignNew Zealand general election, 1993The 1993 New Zealand general election was held on 6 November 1993 to determine the composition of the 44th New Zealand Parliament. It saw the governing National Party, led by Jim Bolger, win a second term in office, despite a major swing back towards the Labour Party. The new Alliance and New...
- "Martian" battle, OamaruOamaruOamaru , the largest town in North Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand, is the main town in the Waitaki District. It is 80 kilometres south of Timaru and 120 kilometres north of Dunedin, on the Pacific coast, and State Highway 1 and the railway Main South Line connects it to both...
, 31 December 2007. On youtube] - 2007 Video interview with Mark Servian, long-time party bigwig, and Graeme Cairns, Party Leader