New Zealand Socialist Unity Party

a political party founded in February 1966 by New Zealand Communists who opposed the pro-Maoist course of the leadership of the Communist Party of New Zealand.

The first (constituent) national conference of the party took place in October 1966. The second national conference, which took place in September 1970, approved the party program, For Socialism in New Zealand (published in 1971), which substantiates the inevitable victory of socialism as the only system capable of ensuring the fulfillment of the aspirations of the New Zealand people. The program indicates that socialism can be victorious in New Zealand only as the result of the rise of a mass political movement, whose binding strength is the working class. It emphasizes the importance of combining the struggle of workers for the attainment of the final goal—the building of socialism—with the struggle for the satisfaction of everyday needs. In September 1973 the party held its third national conference, which adopted resolutions aimed at activating and uniting all democratic forces in the struggle against monopolistic capital.

The party is founded on principles of democratic centralism. Its highest organ is the National Conference, which meets once every three years; between conferences, the highest agency is the National Committee. The president of the party is G. Andersen. The secretary is G. Jackson. The party’s press organs are the monthly newspaper New Zealand Tribune and the journal Socialist Politics.