Fourth Labour Government of New Zealand
The Fourth Labour Government of New Zealand governed New Zealand from 26 July 1984 to 2 November 1990 (the period up to 8 August 1989 is also called the Lange Government). 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 that of previous Labour governments: it enacted major social reforms (such as legalising homosexual relations) and economic reforms (including corporatisation of state services and reform of the tax system).
Fourth Labour Government
26 July 1984
2 November 1990
David Lange (1984–1989)
Geoffrey Palmer (1989–1990)
Mike Moore (1990)
Geoffrey Palmer (1984–1989)
Helen Clark (1989–1990)
- Robert Muldoon (1984)
- Jim McLay (1984–1986)
- Jim Bolger (1986–1990)
The economic reforms became known as "Rogernomics", after Finance Minister Roger Douglas. According to one political scientist:
The Labour government also enacted nuclear-free legislation, which led to the United States suspending its treaty obligations to New Zealand under the ANZUS alliance. David Lange led the government for most of its two three-year terms in office. Lange and Douglas had a falling out that divided the party. The government suffered a defeat at the 1990 general election, but the incoming National government retained most of the reforms.
David Lange was Prime Minister for most of this Government's term. In 1989 he resigned and Geoffrey Palmer replaced him. A little over a year later, Mike Moore replaced Palmer, only eight weeks before the 1990 election: