‘Steady, confident, trusted leader’

Press, 9 December 1983, Page 19

‘Steady, confident, trusted leader’

Specially written for the New Zealand Press Association by SIR JOHN MARSHALL, who succeeded Sir Keith as Prime Minister in 1972 and served under him in each of his administrations. Sir Keith Holyoake, K.G., G.C.M.G., C.H., Q. 5.0., will have an honoured place in New Zealand history as one of our most successful Prime Ministers. He was not a flamboyant figure like Seddon, or a calculating operator like Ward or Fraser, or even a tough, blunt man like Massey. He was a steady, confident and trusted leader in a period which may come to be regarded as the country’s golden decade—the 19605.

In his youth he was a representative rugby player and his political leadership bad the quality of a good All Black captain — a team leader who for 14 years as Leader of. the National Party and for 11 years as

Prime Minister secured and held the undoubted loyalty and positive co-operation of his Ministers and Members. It is commonplace to say that he practised consensus politics — the patient, cautious concern for the majority view. It was the style that suited the times and it is a sound basis for good government at any time except at times of crisis when instant decisions are demanded. He had an acute political sensitivity always ahead of public opinion, but never far ahead and often delaying decision-making until public opinion was ready and sometimes waiting. He was a master politician in the best democratic tradition of government of the people for the people by the people. His achievements are the more remarkable because he had none of the obvious advantages of education or social status or family position which can give a young man a good start. He had what is better than any of those advan-

tages and that was a good home and a supportive family. His life and career was an outstanding example to the young of the way in which in this country anyone, with strong character and firm determination and a willingness to work hard, can rise to any position within the range of their natural ability, even the Prime Ministership if they have that kind of ability. Keith Holyoake had clear and simple political objectives at a time when political principles were relevant to policy and decision making. He believed in the paramount importance of the freedom of the individual under the law. Under his government, controls and restrictions were minimised and the area of freedom extended.

He anticipated by 15 years the freedom of information legislation by his frequently stated injunction to “tell the people and trust the people.” He genuinely believed in private competitive enterprise as the sound-

est basis for. a free economy. Under his government the private sector expanded and flourished. He was a warm-hearted humanitarian who believed that our social welfare system was not only good politics, it was also the foundation of a just society. He was not a profound thinker or a policy innovator but he was fortunate in having in his Cabinet men who, within their own portfolios, produced a steady flow of new ideas and imaginative proposals. Keith Holyoake’s greatest contribution in the policy field was his acute perception of the political viability of policy proposals and in the exercise of sound judgement in sifting the wheat from the chaff. If politics is the art of the possible, Keith Holyoake was an expert at deciding what was possible. He relied heavily on his speech writers and advisers for the preparation of major pronouncements and on his private secretaries and de-

partmental officials for the drafting of correspondence, but in the rough and tumble of politics on the hustings and in the House he was a match for anyone — a powerful speaker with a booming voice hammering home the strong points of his own case and exposing the weaknesses of the Opposition.

As Leader of the House he was a shrewed tactician in controlling the business of Parliament, and although on occasions he was provocative (especially when in the Opposition) he was also adept at bringing unruly members to order when the situation required a firm hand or a conciliatory tone. In his Ministerial portfolios he was most at home as Minister of Agriculture. Farming had been his life so he had the background and experience and knowledge which qualified him to deal effectively and successfully with the problems of the farming sector. His other main portfolio was Foreign Affairs. A

Here, combined with the office of Prime Minister, he had a continuing contact with Heads of Government, particularly in the Commonwealth, but also with other countries with whom we had trading relations, which enabled him to speak authoritatively for New Zealand and for the protection of our vital interests. In the councils of the Commonwealth he exercised a moderating influence generally supportive of Britain and the old Commonwealth but conciliatory towards the newer members.

His 40 years as a member of Parliament, his 22 years as a Minister, 11 of them as Prime Minister and eight as Deputy Prime Minister, together with three years as Governor-General, represent a life of public service which, at this time of remembrance, deserves highest appreciation and profound gratitude of the people of New Zealand and which, when seen in the perspective of history, will have a major place in the story of our nation.