Fred Hackett | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 6thDeputy Leader of the Labour Party | |
| In office 7 June 1962 – 19 March 1963 | |
| Leader | Walter Nash |
| Preceded by | Jerry Skinner |
| Succeeded by | Hugh Watt |
| 20thMinister of Labour | |
| In office 12 December 1957 – 12 December 1960 | |
| Prime Minister | Walter Nash |
| Preceded by | John McAlpine |
| Succeeded by | Tom Shand |
| 33rdMinister of Immigration | |
| In office 12 December 1957 – 12 December 1960 | |
| Prime Minister | Walter Nash |
| Preceded by | Ralph Hanan |
| Succeeded by | Tom Shand |
| 6thMinister of Transport | |
| In office 18 October 1947 – 13 December 1949 | |
| Prime Minister | Peter Fraser |
| Preceded by | James O'Brien |
| Succeeded by | Stan Goosman |
| 33rdPostmaster-General | |
| In office 19 December 1946 – 13 December 1949 | |
| Prime Minister | Peter Fraser |
| Preceded by | Paddy Webb |
| Succeeded by | Walter Broadfoot |
| Member of theNew Zealand Parliament forGrey Lynn | |
| In office 25 September 1943 – 19 March 1963 | |
| Preceded by | John A. Lee |
| Succeeded by | Reginald Keeling |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 November 1901 Southampton, England |
| Died | (aged 61) Auckland, New Zealand |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 4 |
Frederick Hackett (11 November 1901 – 19 March 1963) was a New Zealand politician of theLabour Party. He was a minister in both theFirst andSecond Labour Governments of New Zealand and later the deputy leader of the opposition.
Hackett was born inSouthampton in 1901. He was educated locally and playedassociation football in his youth.[1] He found employment in the British Merchant Navy transporting refugees. He became a gunner in theRoyal Navy duringWorld War I. In 1921 he moved toNew Zealand and he married Ivy Lily Bradford inDunedin in 1923; together they had four children (three sons and one daughter). He became an active unionist and in 1922 Hackett gained employment at the Auckland Tramways Board.[2] He was a prominent member of the Auckland Tramways Union for the next twenty years.[3]
| Years | Term | Electorate | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1943–1946 | 27th | Grey Lynn | Labour | ||
| 1946–1949 | 28th | Grey Lynn | Labour | ||
| 1949–1951 | 29th | Grey Lynn | Labour | ||
| 1951–1954 | 30th | Grey Lynn | Labour | ||
| 1954–1957 | 31st | Grey Lynn | Labour | ||
| 1957–1960 | 32nd | Grey Lynn | Labour | ||
| 1960–1963 | 33rd | Grey Lynn | Labour | ||
Hackett was theMember of Parliament forGrey Lynn from 1943 to 1963, when he died.[4] He defeatedJohn A. Lee in the electorate after Lee was expelled from the Labour Party following the "Lee Affair".[5] After the end ofWorld War II he was chairman of the Auckland rehabilitation committee which aided in the provision of employment placings, housing and furniture loans, educational assistance and trade-training subsidies to ex-service personnel, as well as services to widows of service personnel.[1]
Contemporary politicianMartyn Finlay said Hackett was an extremely effective representative for his electorate due to his ability to use the life experiences he acquired to relate personally with constituents; "Hackett learnt his trade in the best university of all - that of practical experience on the job."[3]
Hackett was described by contemporaries as a party hack, though he was well-liked by caucus members and the wider Labour Party.[6]
In 1953, Hackett was awarded theQueen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal.[7]
He was acabinet minister in the Fraser Ministry of theFirst Labour Government:Postmaster-General and Minister of Telegraphs (1946–1949),[8]Minister of Transport (1947–1949),[8]Minister of Marine (1947–1949),[8] Minister in charge of the Public Trust Office (1946–1947),[9] State Fire Insurance (1946–1947),[10] and Government Life Insurance Department (1946–1947).[11] In 1948, as Minister of Transport, he increased the speed limit on the open road in New Zealand from 40 to 50 miles per hour (which it had been prior to the passing of emergency wartime regulations).[12]
Hackett was opposed to New Zealand joining theInternational Monetary Fund, arguing that the state should have sole right to govern the country's finances.
Towards the end of the First Labour Government Hackett made a speech inNew Plymouth where he stated that "The first duty of any government is to stay in office." It was said in rebuke to sentiments that when people were suffering in economic hardship they turned to Labour, but after prosperity had been restored Labour was deemed expendable. The remark was seen as 'cynical but true'.[13]
In theSecond Labour Government, he wasMinister of Labour,Minister of Mines, andMinister of Immigration from 1957 to 1960.[14] Prior to the announcement of the ministryBill Fox, former vice-president of theFederation of Labour, was widely tipped to become Minister of Labour, but incoming Prime MinisterWalter Nash confounded expectations by appointing Hackett (a former unionist) to the portfolio instead.[15] As Minister of Labour he represented New Zealand at the 1959 International Labour Organisation conference inGeneva. There, he was unanimously elected as chairman of the government group at the conference. His largest challenge as Minister of Immigration was the decline of immigrants to New Zealand following the economic upturn in Europe during the late 1950s.[3] As Minister for Mines he approved forShell,BP andTodd Oil Services to explore for oil offshore in theKapuni oil field in 1959, this decision later led to the beginning of a large industry in theTaranaki region.[16]
Following Labour's defeat in 1960, Hackett served on the opposition frontbench and in June 1962 Hackett was elected as thedeputy leader of the Labour Party, in preference toArnold Nordmeyer andHugh Watt, upon the unexpected death ofJerry Skinner.[17] He beat Nordmeyer on the second ballot after Watt (a fellow Aucklander) had been eliminated in the first ballot for the position, as a compromise candidate as was regarded by many within the Party as a middle roader. Hackett also likely received sympathy votes as he was known to have been ill.[6]
On 25 July 1962 he was admitted toAuckland Hospital for an operation on his brain, which saved his life. Following the operation he recovered steadily and was discharged in early September. During his absence Nordmeyer acted as deputy leader until Hackett returned to Parliament on 27 November 1962.[3]
Following Skinner's deathWalter Nash favoured Hackett to replace him when he retired prior the 1963 election, but with the death of Hackett, Nash was eventually left to be replaced byArnold Nordmeyer. Before he died, Hackett informed the caucus that he would also resign the deputy-leadership when Nash retired. He was replaced byHugh Watt.[18] He did, however, intend to stay in parliament and had already been re-selected to contest Grey Lynn at the upcoming1963 general election.[3]
On 19 March 1963 Hackett collapsed and died at hisNew Lynn home. He was buried atPurewa Cemetery.[2] He was survived by his wife, three sons and daughter.[3]
| New Zealand Parliament | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament for Grey Lynn 1943–1963 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Postmaster-General and Minister of Telegraphs 1946–1949 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister of Transport 1947–1949 | Succeeded by |
| Minister of Marine 1947–1949 | ||
| Preceded by | Minister of Immigration 1957–1960 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister of Mines 1957–1960 | |
| Minister of Labour 1957–1960 | ||
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Deputy Leader of the Labour Party 1962–1963 | Succeeded by |