1972-2014: The politics of sport

Labour had a memorable period while in power from 1984 and until 1990, as the All Blacks won the World Cup and kayaking enjoyed a golden 1984 Olympics.

If sporting success was your No 1 priority in next weekend’s election, Michael Burgess has crunched the numbers to reveal which major party has overseen the most sporting triumphs during the past 40 years.

Labour 1972-75
Norman Kirk, Bill Rowling
A periodmost notable for Dick Tayler's 10,000m goldmedal at the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, and John Walker chasing Filbert Bayi all the way to the finish of the 1500m as the Tanzanian set a remarkableworld record. The late Norman Kirk defied intense pressure to block a proposed Springbok tour and Glenn Turner defied the Australian bowlers to score a century in each innings as NewZealand won a transtasman cricket test for the first time.

National 1975-84
Robert Muldoon
Robert Muldoonmade his mark with his "I consider it appropriate Australia was wearing yellow" response to cricket's underarm incident. John Walker claimed Olympic 1500m gold, England were beaten in a cricket test for the first time and the 1978 All Blacks achieved the Grand Slam. The 1981 Springbok tour controversially went ahead, with the series win viewed as crucial in National's narrow victory in that year's election. Sport often reflected Muldoon's 'Think Big'mantra.

Labour 1984-90
David Lange, Geoffrey Palmer, Mike Moore
A memorable period, as the All Blacks won the World Cup and kayaking enjoyed a golden 1984 Olympics. Richard Hadlee anchored a unique test series win in Australia,Susan Devoy and Ross Norman became world squash champions, Bone crusher beat Waverley Star in the Race of theCentury and Horlicks won the Japan Cup. Prime Minister David Lange briefly raced in motorsport but his greatest 'sporting' performance came at the 1985 Oxford Union debate.

National 1990-99
Jim Bolger, Jenny Shipley
As the nation endured the 'Ruthanasia' programme of severe spending cuts, rugby fans suffered through a surprise defeat at the 1991 World Cup. Keen rugby player Bolger had to stomach further Cup setbacks in 1995 and1999, and the advent of MMP saw him engage in a long-running 'maul' with Winston Peters.A sporting high point was Team New Zealand claiming the America's Cup at the fourth attempt in 1995, along with Danyon Loader's incredible golden double in Atlanta.

Labour 1999-2008
Helen Clark
Team NZ defended the America's Cup in 2000 but lost to Alinghi three years later. The All Blacks were ambushed in Sydney at the 2003 World Cup and failed again as unbackable favourites in 2007. A routing of Clive Woodward's Lions was scant consolation. Helen Clark scaled various peaks around NZ and the Silver Ferns (2003), Kiwis (2005 and 2008), Hamish Carter, Michael Campbell and the Evers-Swindell twins achieved great heights on the international stage.

National 2008-14
John Key
The London Olympics were the best for NewZealand since 1984, with six gold medals and 13 overall. John Key, who played representative squash as a teenager, publicly shared the dressing-room glory with the All Blacks at home (2011) and All Whites (2010) in South Africa and our rowers found rivers of gold. Key, who practises golf in every spare moment and famously traded putts with Barack Obama, also had the pleasure of witnessing the meteoric rise of Lydia Ko.

Rugby World Cups
Under Labour (three)
Winner (1987), Third (2003), Quarter-finals (2007).
Under National (four)
Third (1991), Runner-up (1995), Fourth (1999), Winner (2011).

Netball World Championships
The Silver Ferns won twice under a Labour government (1987 and 2003) but haven't
won the title outright when National havebeen in power in six attempts.

Cricket World Cups
New Zealand have reached thesemifinals on six occasions, four times while National held power (1979, 1992, 1999 and 2011).