Norman King (New Zealand politician)

Norman James King, QSO (28 December 1914 – 28 May 2002), was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party, and a cabinet minister.

King first stood for Labour in Hobson in 1951, coming second. He then represented the Waitemata electorate from 1954 to 1969, and the Birkenhead electorate from 1969 to 1975, when he was defeated by Jim McLay.

In 1957 he defeated Robert Muldoon in his second attempt to enter parliament. Zavos says that King:

was a poor speaker, a tiny birdlike man, a storeman and packer before taking up politics ... (but) a shrewd operator, however, whose greatest strength was that he was aware of his limitations. He realised he could not match the expert debating techniques Muldoon had developed.

So King restricted himself to two campaign meetings, and the slight swing to Labour carried King back.

King was Minister of Social Welfare (1972–1975), first under Norman Kirk, then under Bill Rowling.

In the 1977 New Year Honours, King was made a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for public services.

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