Fourth Labour Government
| Fourth Labour Government | |
|---|---|
| ministries of New Zealand | |
| 1984–1990 | |
| Date formed | 26 July 1984 |
| Date dissolved | 2 November 1990 |
| People and organisations | |
| Head of state | Elizabeth II |
| Head of government |
David Lange (1984-1989) Geoffrey Palmer (1989-1990) Mike Moore (1990) |
| Deputy head of government | Geoffrey Palmer (1984-1989) Helen Clark (1989-1990) |
| Member party | Labour Party |
| Opposition party | National Party |
| Opposition leader |
|
| History | |
| Election(s) | |
| Predecessor | Third National Government of New Zealand |
| Successor | Fourth National Government of New Zealand |
The Fourth Labour Government of New Zealand was the government of New Zealand from 26 July 1984 to 2 November 1990. It was the first Labour government to win a second consecutive term since the First Labour Government of 1935 to 1949. The policy agenda of the Fourth Labour Government differed significantly from previous Labour governments: it enacted major social reforms (such as legalising homosexual relations) and economic reforms (including corporatisation of state services and reformation of the tax system)
The economic reforms were known as "Rogernomics" after Finance Minister Roger Douglas. According to one political scientist:
The government also enacted nuclear-free legislation, which led to the United States suspending its treaty obligations to New Zealand under the ANZUS alliance. The government was led by David Lange for most of its time in power, and lasted for two three-year terms. Lange and Douglas had a falling out that divided the party. It was defeated in 1990, but the next National government kept most of the reforms.
The government's most notable foreign policy initiative concerned nuclear weapons and the ANZUS alliance. Many New Zealanders (especially within the Labour Party) wanted to make New Zealand a nuclear-free zone. However this would mean banning American warships as it was US policy to 'neither confirm nor deny' whether individual ships were nuclear armed. The warships had been visiting New Zealand as part of the ANZUS alliance, and most people hoped that the alliance could be preserved even if the nuclear ban took effect. The issue came to a head shortly after the 1984 election, as a proposed visit by the USS Buchanan was on the cards. Lange announced that the Buchanan would not be welcome, and the US suspended its treaty obligations to New Zealand under the ANZUS alliance. The issue became a cause célèbre in New Zealand, perhaps primarily because small countries rarely stand up to larger and more powerful countries in such a way. In America, those on the right called for trade sanctions against New Zealand while those on the left idealised the country. New Zealand's diplomatic relations with America have never returned to their pre-1984 status, although the nuclear issue is becoming less important. The government also reinstated a diplomatic representative resident in India (Muldoon had closed the High Commission there) and appointed Edmund Hillary to the post.
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