Keith Holyoake
Sir Keith Jacka Holyoake KG, GCMG, CH, QSO, KStJ (* February 11, 1904 in Pahiatua, † December 8, 1983 ) was a New Zealand politician and as such both twice Prime Minister of New Zealand and later Governor-General of New Zealand. He had almost 12 years with a very long tenure as prime minister and was known for his diplomatic style. He was also known by his nickname from childhood as Kiwi Keith.
Early life
Holyoake was born in 1904 near Pahiatua in the Wairarapa. His family lived for a time in Hastings and Tauranga, 1913, she moved to the Riwaka near Motueka.
At the age of 12 he left after his father's death, the school and worked on the hop and tobacco farm family in Riwaka. His mother Esther had trained as a teacher and taught him at home on. Holyoake was Presbyterian. After he had taken over the business of the farm, he came up with different local agricultural organizations in contact, which promoted his political interest.
Early political career
The Reform Party, which had many supporters in the country, chose Holyoake as candidates of the electoral district of Motueka for the parliamentary elections in 1931. Although the former MP George Black retained this seat, but died the following year. Holyoake was successful as a candidate of the Reform Party in the election. He became the youngest Member of Parliament until then.
In the 1935 elections Holyoake was located despite significant losses for the coalition of the Reform Party and keep the United Party. In the aftermath of the election, he played a key role in the transformation of the coalition in today's National Party. He quickly gained the respect of his peers and was considered a rising star in the new party. In the elections of 1938, Holyoake lost his parliamentary seat to the candidate of the Labour Party Gerry Skinner.
In 1943 he returned as a candidate of the National Party, this time for the electoral district Pahiatua, back into Parliament. In 1946 he became deputy chairman of the party. After National won the elections in 1949, the new Prime Minister Sidney Holland appointed him as Minister of Agriculture. Later Holland appointed him as first minister ever formally appointed Deputy Prime Minister.
Prime minister
First term
Holyoake was Prime Minister two months before the elections in 1957, when Sidney Holland resigned for health reasons. The elections were won by a majority of only one seat from the Labour Party and Holyoake was the three years until the next election to opposition leader.
Second Term
National returned to power in elections in 1960. The victory was attributed Holyoakes clever campaign, particularly his attacks on Treasury Arnold North Meyers so-called " Black Budget ", which raised taxes on gasoline, cigarettes and alcohol, too.
Holyoakes government renewed the Criminal Code with the Crimes Act 1961. Thus the death penalty was abolished. His government also loosened the rules on trade union membership, but the majority of industrial jobs remaining in the parent sector union system.
In 1972 he resigned as Premier to facilitate his deputy and friend Jack Marshall, the official successor.
Following the resignation
As a nation under Marshall lost the next elections, Holyoake remained a prominent opposition politician. He played an active role in the elections 1975. This brought the National Party under Robert Muldoon returned to power. Muldoon appointed Holyoake to a specially created for this purpose sinecure as Minister of State.
Governor-general
Holyoake in 1977 by Elizabeth II on the advice of Muldoon was unexpected and controversial appointed Governor-General of New Zealand. The controversy arose because Holyoake was acting minister and former prime minister. Many opponents of Muldoon's government called it politically motivated appointment. The opposition leader Bill Rowling hinted that Labour Holyoake could settle as Governor General, the party would win the elections in 1978. He expressed openly, he would have preferred Edmund Hillary as Governor General. This proposal was in turn criticized by the government since Hillary had in 1975 the Labour Party supported in the Wahlcampagne " Citizens for Rowling ".
As a result of the appointment of retired Holyoake from the Parliament. His term leadership has been recognized by most as fair and balanced. His term as Governor-General only lasted three years and ended because of his advanced age in 1980.
Holyoake was married to Norma Janet Ingram since 1934 and had 5 children. He died on 8 December 1983 at the age of 79 in Wellington. His daughter Diane married the Member of Parliament Ken Comber.
Awards
- Member of the Privy Council
- Freeman of the City of London
- Doctor of Laws hc, Victoria University of Wellington,
- Doctor of Laws ( Agriculture) hc, Seoul National University
Swell
- Biography in Encyclopaedia of New Zealand 1966
- Barry Gustafson: Kiwi Keith. A biography of Keith Holyoake. Auckland University Press, Auckland 2007, ISBN 978-1-86940-400-0.