Sir Keith Holyoake | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.jpg) Holyoake,c. 1950s | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13th Governor-General of New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 26 October 1977 – 25 October 1980 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Monarch | Elizabeth II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Robert Muldoon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Denis Blundell | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | David Beattie | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 26th Prime Minister of New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 12 December 1960 – 7 February 1972 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Monarch | Elizabeth II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Governors-General | Charles Lyttelton Bernard Fergusson Arthur Porritt | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Jack Marshall | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Walter Nash | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Jack Marshall | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 20 September 1957 – 12 December 1957 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Monarch | Elizabeth II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Governor-General | Charles Lyttelton | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Jack Marshall | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Sidney Holland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Walter Nash | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17thLeader of the Opposition | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 12 December 1957 – 12 December 1960 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Walter Nash | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Jack Marshall | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Walter Nash | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Walter Nash | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Member of theNew Zealand Parliament forPahiatua | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 25 September 1943 – 10 March 1977 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Alfred Ransom | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | John Falloon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Member of theNew Zealand Parliament forMotueka | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 1 December 1932 – 15 October 1938 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | George Black | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Jerry Skinner | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1904-02-11)11 February 1904 Mangamutu, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 8 December 1983(1983-12-08) (aged 79) Wellington, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | Reform National (after 1936) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent(s) | Henry Victor Holyoake Esther Eves | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relatives | Ken Comber (son-in-law) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sir Keith Jacka Holyoake (11 February 1904 – 8 December 1983) was a New Zealand politician who served as the26thprime minister of New Zealand, serving for a brief period in 1957 and then from 1960 to 1972, and also as the13th governor-general of New Zealand, serving from 1977 to 1980. He is the only New Zealand politician to have held both positions.[a]
Holyoake was born nearPahiatua in theWairarapa. He left formal education at the age of 12 to help on the family farm. Before entering politics, he was active in various local farming associations. He was first elected to Parliament in 1932 for theMotueka electorate, representing the conservativeReform Party. Having played an instrumental role in the formation of theNational Party in 1936, he lost his seat two years later. However, he was then earmarked for the safe seat ofPahiatua, which he held from 1943.
Following National's first election victory, Holyoake enteredCabinet in 1949. In 1954, he was appointed the firstdeputy prime minister of New Zealand, underSidney Holland. Holyoake becameleader of the National Party and prime minister two months before the1957 election, after Holland's resignation due to ill health. Following an election defeat, he served as theleader of the Opposition for three years before National returned to power in 1960.
Holyoake's government rewrote the criminal legal code, passing theCrimes Act 1961. One of the main features of that act was the abolition ofcapital punishment, though only ten National MPs voted for its abolition. Among many conservative reforms, his government introduced a form of "voluntary unionism". In foreign policy, Holyoake supported the United States and sent troops toVietnam. He led his party to four consecutive election victories (not since surpassed). In 1972, he resigned as prime minister to ease the succession for his deputy and friend,Jack Marshall.
In 1977, the National government ofRobert Muldoon created controversy by appointing Holyoake as governor-general. Opponents argued that a former politician should not hold the non-partisan position. Holyoake's term was limited to three years, not the normal five. In 1980, he became aKnight Companion of the Order of the Garter, a rare honour.[1]
Holyoake is thethird-longest-serving New Zealand prime minister (just under 12 years), surpassed only byRichard Seddon's 13 years andWilliam Massey's close to 13 years. Holyoake was also the first to be born in the 20th century.[2] Known for his diplomatic style and "plummy" voice, he was also fondly (or mockingly) known as "Kiwi Keith", a name given to him in childhood to distinguish him from an Australian cousin with the same name.[2]
Holyoake was born atMangamutu,[2] a short distance fromPahiatua, a town in New Zealand'sWairarapa region, the son of Henry Victor Holyoake and Esther Eves.[3] Keith Holyoake's great-grandparents, Richard and Eliza Holyoake, settled atRiwaka nearMotueka in 1843, and his maternal great-grandparents, William and Sarah Eves, arrived inNelson in 1842.[4] Relatives of the 19th-century secularistGeorge Holyoake,[5] the Holyoakes ran a small general store at Mangamutu, and then lived for a time in bothHastings andTauranga, before settling on the family farm at Riwaka, following the death of Keith's grandfather in 1913.[3]
Holyoake was raised in thePlymouth Brethren church, and his social life as a child was very restricted.[4] From the age of 12, having left school after his father's death, Holyoake worked on the familyhop and tobacco farm in Riwaka. His mother had trained as a school teacher, and continued his education at home. After taking over the management of the farm, he became involved in various local farming associations, something that increased his interest in politics.[3]
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| Years | Term | Electorate | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1932–1935 | 24th | Motueka | Reform | ||
| 1935–1936 | 25th | Motueka | Reform | ||
| 1936–1938 | Changed allegiance to: | National | |||
| 1943–1946 | 27th | Pahiatua | National | ||
| 1946–1949 | 28th | Pahiatua | National | ||
| 1949–1951 | 29th | Pahiatua | National | ||
| 1951–1954 | 30th | Pahiatua | National | ||
| 1954–1957 | 31st | Pahiatua | National | ||
| 1957–1960 | 32nd | Pahiatua | National | ||
| 1960–1963 | 33rd | Pahiatua | National | ||
| 1963–1966 | 34th | Pahiatua | National | ||
| 1966–1969 | 35th | Pahiatua | National | ||
| 1969–1972 | 36th | Pahiatua | National | ||
| 1972–1975 | 37th | Pahiatua | National | ||
| 1975–1977 | 38th | Pahiatua | National | ||
TheReform Party, which had strong rural support, selected Holyoake as its candidate for theMotueka seat in the1931 election. The incumbent MP,George Black, held the seat, but died the following year. Holyoake was the Reform Party's candidate in the resultingby-election in 1932, and was successful. He became the youngest Member ofParliament at the time, at the age of 28.[2] In 1935, he was awarded theKing George V Silver Jubilee Medal.[6]
In the1935 election, Holyoake retained his seat under the motto "Follow England and Vote Holyoake"[2] despite a massive swing against theUnited–Reform Coalition. In the aftermath of this election, he played a key role in transforming the coalition into the modernNational Party. He very quickly gained considerable respect from his colleagues, and was regarded as a rising star in the new party. The 1937 electoral redistribution was unfavourable for him and, when the boundary changes applied at the1938 election, Holyoake lost his seat to a rising star of the governingLabour Party,Jerry Skinner.[7] Holyoake had been discussed as a possible successor to the party's conscientious but lack-lustre leader,Adam Hamilton but, because Holyoake was no longer an MP, that ceased to be an option.[8]
In 1943, Holyoake returned to Parliament as MP forPahiatua, having been lined up by National for that nomination. In 1946, he became the party's deputy Leader.[9]
When National won the1949 election and formed theFirst National Government, new Prime MinisterSidney Holland appointed Holyoake asDeputy Prime Minister andMinister of Agriculture. Holyoake was also for a year (1949–50)Minister for Scientific and Industrial Research, and wasMinister of Marketing until the department was abolished in 1953.[3] In 1953, Holyoake was awarded theQueen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal.[10]
As Minister of Agriculture for eight years Holyoake enhanced his reputation as a level-headed good administrator. Farm mechanisation was encouraged, the "extermination policy" achieved nearly eliminated the rabbit pest. Dismantling of marketing producer controls was completed.[3]
Holyoake twice went to London to re-negotiate price levels on meat and wool products,[3] and in 1955 attended theFood and Agriculture Organization conference in Rome. On his return to New Zealand he visitedIndia and theSoviet Union to seek alternative markets for New Zealand, although his trip bore little fruit.[3] In 1957, he led a delegation seeking to protect New Zealand's access to the British market, without notable success.[3]
As Deputy leader of the National Party, Holyoake was acting prime minister whenever Holland was overseas. In recognition of that, he was made a member of thePrivy Council in 1954. After the1954 election, Holland made him the first person to be formally appointed Deputy Prime Minister.[3]
In 1953, in partnership with his friendTheodore Nisbet Gibbs and Gibbs' son Ian, Holyoake purchased a block of land on the northern shore ofLake Taupō from Ian's employer. The land, which had previously been purchased fromNgāti Tūwharetoaiwi in 1884, was a block of 5,385 acres largely covered in scrub and fern.[11] Holyoake and Gibbs subsequently developed the land into a town calledKinloch, which became a holiday destination. On his deathbed, Holyoake said that Kinloch was his proudest achievement.[11]
Holyoake became Prime Minister two months before the1957 election, when incumbent Prime MinisterSidney Holland retired due to ill-health. Holland had been in declining health since 1954, and had never recovered from a mild heart attack or stroke in 1956. Holyoake also becameMinister of Māori Affairs on the retirement ofErnest Corbett.
Holyoake had little time to establish himself, and lost to theWalter Nash-ledLabour Party by a margin of two seats. Holyoake becameLeader of the Opposition for the next three years.
In the1960 election, the National Party returned to power and formed theSecond National Government. Historians attribute the victory to Holyoake's skilful campaigning, particularly his attacks onMinister of FinanceArnold Nordmeyer's so-called "Black Budget" of 1958, which had increased taxes on petrol, cigarettes and liquor.[2] He also served as his ownMinister of Foreign Affairs.
The Holyoake government implemented numerous reforms of thepublic services and government institutions: for example, it created theOffice of the Ombudsman and numerousquasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations, and strengthened parliamentary scrutiny of the executive.[3] Public broadcasting was removed from direct government oversight and placed under corporation control.[12] Holyoake's government rewrote the criminal legal code, passing the Crimes Act 1961; theAct abolished capital punishment, though only ten National MPs voted for its abolition.[13] In 1969, theSecurity Intelligence Service (SIS) was formally acknowledged to exist, and its minister, the prime minister, publicly acknowledged. That same year theNew Zealand Parliament passed an Act covering the agency's functions and responsibilities: theNew Zealand Security Intelligence Service Act.[14]
In 1960, the Holyoake government published the "Hunn Report", a wide-ranging summary ofMāori assets, and the state of Māori in New Zealand at the time.[15] The report was a damning indictment of past governments' neglect of Māori within society, and Holyoake endeavoured to act on its findings. By embracing theNo Maoris – No Tour cause, Holyoake ended the practice of anapartheid sporting body dictating the racial composition of New Zealand rugby teams touring in South Africa.[16] In a 1966 speech directed at the South African authorities, Holyoake delicately defended the principle ofracial equality, stating "in this country we are one people; as such we cannot as a nation be truly represented in any sphere by a group chosen on racial lines".[17][16]
Holyoake accepted thepost-war political consensus; he believed in the necessity of amixed economy, championing aKeynesian strategy ofpublic investment tomaintain demand. However, as ananti-socialist,[13] Holyoake sought to reduce the role of trade unions inindustrial relations. The National government introduced a form of voluntary unionism,[18] though the majority of industrial workplaces remainedunionised; the policy was hotly debated within caucus, with Holyoake's deputy,Jack Marshall, andTom Shand, favouring the retention of compulsory unionism.[19] His government's industrial policy brought Holyoake into conflict with union leaders, such asFintan Patrick Walsh.[20]
Holyoake's government was comfortably re-elected for a second consecutive term in 1963. Holyoake's second term featured by a long period of prosperity and economic expansion. However, moves by the United Kingdom to join theEuropean Economic Community challenged his government.[2] Holyoake deliberately played down the issue, and chose not to vocally oppose British membership of the EEC. A significant step towards diversification was a limitedfree trade agreement with Australia, negotiated in 1965 by Holyoake's minister of overseas trade, Jack Marshall, who later also negotiated the terms of the arrangements for New Zealand under which Britain joined the EEC.[3]
More controversial were the Holyoake government's relations with the United States at the start of theVietnam War. The National government's initial response was carefully considered and characterised by Holyoake's cautiousness towards the entire Vietnam question. The fundamental issues, Holyoake said, were simple: "Whose will is to prevail in South Vietnam the imposed will of the North Vietnamese communists and their agents, or the freely expressed will of the people of South Vietnam?"[21] His government preferred minimal involvement, with other South East Asian deployments already having a strain on theNew Zealand Defence Force. New Zealand's alliance with the United States was an issue in the1966 election, which the National Party won on the back of.[2]
Beginning in mid-1960s, the New Zealand government protested against Frenchnuclear weapons testing in the Pacific region.[22] In 1963, Holyoake announced the policy of banning the storage or testing of nuclear weapons within New Zealand territory.[3]
As the prime minister during theApollo 11 Moon landing, he contributed tomessages from 73 world leaders that were etched into a silicon disc left on the surface of the Moon. The disc was left in theSea of Tranquility byBuzz Aldrin.[23]
Holyoake led his party to a narrow and unexpected victory in the1969 election. Two years prior Holyoake appointed a risingbackbencher,Robert Muldoon as Minister of Finance in 1967, although ranked him lowly in his Cabinet. In response to falling wool prices and balance of payment problems, Muldoon introduced mini-budgets with Holyoake's approval.[2]
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The National government was humiliated in early 1970 ina disastrous by-election for the once-safe National seat ofMarlborough, triggered by the death of longtime ministerTom Shand.[3] Having already received the customary appointment asMember of the Order of the Companions of Honour, Holyoake was knighted as aKnight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George in the1970 Queen's Birthday Honours.[24] Political commentators speculated about when Holyoake would retire, and by the early 1970s his closest allies, including Jack Marshall, were privately encouraging him to step down. The government was increasingly perceived as careworn and unfocused—two of its strongest ministers, Shand andRalph Hanan, had died in 1969, and the party caucus was increasingly divided. After more than a decade in power and almost four decades in Parliament, Holyoake's dogged conservatism appeared out of touch with an increasinglyliberal society.[13] It was not until 1972, just before a statutory general election, that he finally resigned. By then, he had become the senior statesman of the Commonwealth. Marshall succeeded him in the ensuing leadership ballot, and Holyoake remained in Cabinet as Minister of Foreign Affairs until National lost office at the end of the year.[3]
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When National under Marshall was defeated at the1972 election, Holyoake remained prominent in opposition. Marshall retained him on the frontbench and appointed him Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs.[25] He became doubtful of Marshall's chance to regain government with time and threw his influence with the caucus behind Marshall's deputy Muldoon. In 1974 Marshall resigned as leader after realising that many of his colleagues (including Holyoake) no longer had confidence in him and Muldoon was elected in his place.[26] Holyoake played an active part in the campaign for the1975 election, which saw National regain power again under Muldoon. Muldoon appointed Holyoake to the specially-createdsinecure of Minister of State.[3]
In 1977, Holyoake was unexpectedly and controversially appointedGovernor-General of New Zealand byQueen Elizabeth II on the advice of the then Prime Minister Robert Muldoon. The announcement was made by the Queen at the end ofher tour of New Zealand on 7 March 1977, from the Royal YachtHMYBritannia inLyttelton Harbour.[27]
This choice was deemed controversial by some, as Holyoake was a sitting Cabinet minister and a former prime minister. Many opponents of Muldoon's government claimed that it was a political appointment. The Leader of the Opposition,Bill Rowling (himself a former prime minister) stated that he would remove Holyoake as governor-general if the Labour Party won the1978 election,[28] and openly suggested that he would have appointedSir Edmund Hillary as governor-general.[29] That suggestion was, in turn, criticised by the government, as Hillary had backed Labour in 1975 as part of the "Citizens for Rowling" campaign.[30]
As a result of the appointment, Holyoake resigned from Parliament, leading to thePahiatua by-election of 1977. He was succeeded from his seat byJohn Falloon.
Holyoake's conduct while in office, however, was acknowledged to be fair and balanced. In particular, Holyoake refused to comment on the 1978 general election, which gave Labour a narrow plurality of votes but a majority of seats in parliament to National.[31] Social Credit leaderBruce Beetham said Holyoake as governor-general had "...a scrupulous impartiality that confounded the critics of his appointment".[2] His term as governor-general was only for three years, on account of his age. Usually, governors-general serve for five years, but Holyoake was the oldest governor-general to date (at 73 years old). His term ended in 1980.[32]
Holyoake twice marriedNorma Janet Ingram: first in a civil ceremony on 24 September 1934, and again on 11 January 1935 at theirPresbyterian church inMotueka. The couple had five children: two sons and three daughters.[33] His daughter Diane married National MPKen Comber.[34] In the1980 Queen's Birthday Honours, Norma, Lady Holyoake, was appointed aDame Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George, for public services since 1935.[35]
Holyoake also had a very close and somewhat paternalistic friendship withMarilyn Waring, National's youngest female MP during her tenure. Holyoake cared for her deeply. They first met in 1974 when she, annoyed by the refusal of Labour Prime Minister,Norman Kirk, to support National MPVenn Young's bill todecriminalise homosexuality, joined the National Party. She quickly entered the Opposition Research Unit as a part-time advisor underGeorge Gair, the ShadowMinister of Housing. At age 22, she expressed some interest in standing for the party in the seat ofRaglan, a very safe National seat that contained her hometown ofHuntly. Holyoake, so overjoyed that a woman was willing to run for National in a safe "blue" seat, personally arrived within the hour to Parliament House and offered her the selection without even formally introducing himself.[36] The two thereafter became very close, to the extent that on one occasion she kissed Holyoake on the lips in front of cameras.[37] She is thought to have helped soften Holyoake's ambivalent views onLGBT rights. After she was involuntarily outed by theNew Zealand Truth in 1978, Holyoake worked with Prime Minister,Robert Muldoon, to quickly downplay the tabloid reports and to protect their friend.[37][38]
Holyoake died on 8 December 1983, aged 79, in Wellington. Hisstate funeral took place on 13 December 1983 inWellington Cathedral of St Paul.[39]
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The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service to which this Act applies is hereby declared to be the same Service as the Service known as the New Zealand Security Service which was established on 28 November 1956.
| New Zealand Parliament | ||
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| Preceded by | Member of Parliament for Motueka 1932–1938 | Succeeded by |
| New constituency | Member of Parliament for Pahiatua 1943–1977 | Succeeded by |
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| Preceded by | Prime Minister of New Zealand 1957 1960–1972 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Succeeded by | |
| New title | Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand 1949–1957 | |
| Preceded by | Governor-General of New Zealand 1977–1980 | Succeeded by |
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