Robert Tizard
Encyclopedia
The Right Honourable
Robert James "Bob" Tizard, CNZM
(born 1924) is a former Labour
politician from New Zealand, former Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand
, Minister of Finance
and Minister of Health
and Minister of Defence.
having been the first leader of the New Zealand Labour Party.
While at university, Bob met future wife Catherine Maclean
, while he was president of the Auckland University Students Association. On their second date Bob told Catherine he was "going into politics. And I'm going to marry you." They married in 1951, and Bob unsuccessfully ran for the seat of Remuera
later that year at the general election
and again at the 1954 general election
. He was finally successful at the 1957 election
, winning in Tamaki, but was defeated three years later by Robert Muldoon
. The couple moved to Avondale and started a family, with Catherine having four children in six years starting at the age of 21 with Anna, followed by Linda, Judith
and Nigel. They moved in 1957 to Glendowie, in the Tamaki electorate.
Bob ran for and won the Pakuranga seat at the general election in 1963
. Catherine then returned to University to complete her degree in Zoology, and later began teaching at Auckland university.
The couple divorced in 1980. Catherine was Mayor of Auckland
from 1983–1990 and Governor-General of New Zealand
from 1990 – 1996. He is the father of former Consumer Affairs minister Judith Tizard
, who succeeded her father as the Member of Parliament for Panmure
in 1990.
He married Beryl Vignale of Canada in 1989. The couple had been engaged during World War II.
from 1957
to 1960
, when he was defeated by National's Robert Muldoon
. He returned to parliament in the 1963 Otahuhu by-election, but in the 1963 general election
was elected MP for Pakuranga
. In 1972
he became MP for Otahuhu
again. In 1984
he became MP for Panmure
, until he retired in 1990.
was elected in 1972. Following the death of Kirk in 1974, he became Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister, replacing Bill Rowling
(who the caucus elected Prime Minister) in both roles. In the Lange Government he held the Defence portfolio as well as the Science and Technology portfolio.
In 2007 Tizard announced his candidacy for the Auckland District Health Board. He was elected to the board, at the age of 83.
The Right Honourable
The Right Honourable is an honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain people in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Anglophone Caribbean and other Commonwealth Realms, and occasionally elsewhere...
Robert James "Bob" Tizard, CNZM
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
(born 1924) is a former Labour
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
politician from New Zealand, former Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand
Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand is second most senior officer in the Government of New Zealand, although this seniority does not necessarily translate into power....
, Minister of Finance
Minister of Finance (New Zealand)
The Minister of Finance is a senior figure within the government of New Zealand. The position is often considered to be the most important Cabinet role after that of the Prime Minister....
and Minister of Health
Minister of Health (New Zealand)
The Minister of Health is a minister in the government of New Zealand with responsibility for the New Zealand Ministry of Health and the District Health Boards.The present Minister is Tony Ryall, a member of the National Party.-History:...
and Minister of Defence.
Early life and family
Bob Tizard's 1949 Master of Arts thesis was "Mr H.E Holland's Blueprint for New Zealand and the World". Harry HollandHarry Holland
Henry Edmund Holland was a New Zealand politician and unionist. He was the first leader of the New Zealand Labour Party.-Early life:...
having been the first leader of the New Zealand Labour Party.
While at university, Bob met future wife Catherine Maclean
Catherine Tizard
Dame Catherine Anne Tizard, was Mayor of Auckland City and the 16th Governor-General of New Zealand, the first woman to hold either office.-Early life:...
, while he was president of the Auckland University Students Association. On their second date Bob told Catherine he was "going into politics. And I'm going to marry you." They married in 1951, and Bob unsuccessfully ran for the seat of Remuera
Remuera (New Zealand electorate)
Remuera is a former New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, in the city of Auckland.-Population Centres:The electorate is urban, and comprises a number of Auckland suburbs. The area is high-income, and has been represented by a succession of National MPs....
later that year at the general election
New Zealand general election, 1951
The 1951 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 30th term. It saw the governing National Party remain in office, increasing its lead over the opposition Labour Party.-Background:...
and again at the 1954 general election
New Zealand general election, 1954
The 1954 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 31st term. It saw the governing National Party remain in office, but with a slightly reduced majority...
. He was finally successful at the 1957 election
New Zealand general election, 1957
The 1957 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 32nd term. It saw the governing National Party narrowly defeated by the Labour Party...
, winning in Tamaki, but was defeated three years later by Robert Muldoon
Robert Muldoon
Sir Robert David "Rob" Muldoon, GCMG, CH served as the 31st Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1975 to 1984, as leader of the governing National Party. Muldoon had been a prominent member of the National party and MP for the Tamaki electorate for some years prior to becoming leader of the party...
. The couple moved to Avondale and started a family, with Catherine having four children in six years starting at the age of 21 with Anna, followed by Linda, Judith
Judith Tizard
Judith Tizard is a former New Zealand politician. She was a member of the Labour Party.-Early life:Judith Ngaire Tizard was born in Auckland in 1956...
and Nigel. They moved in 1957 to Glendowie, in the Tamaki electorate.
Bob ran for and won the Pakuranga seat at the general election in 1963
New Zealand general election, 1963
The 1963 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 34th term. The results were almost identical to those for the previous election, and the governing National Party remained in office....
. Catherine then returned to University to complete her degree in Zoology, and later began teaching at Auckland university.
The couple divorced in 1980. Catherine was Mayor of Auckland
Mayor of Auckland
The Mayor of Auckland is the directly elected head of the Auckland Council, the local government authority for the Auckland region in New Zealand...
from 1983–1990 and Governor-General of New Zealand
Governor-General of New Zealand
The Governor-General of New Zealand is the representative of the monarch of New Zealand . The Governor-General acts as the Queen's vice-regal representative in New Zealand and is often viewed as the de facto head of state....
from 1990 – 1996. He is the father of former Consumer Affairs minister Judith Tizard
Judith Tizard
Judith Tizard is a former New Zealand politician. She was a member of the Labour Party.-Early life:Judith Ngaire Tizard was born in Auckland in 1956...
, who succeeded her father as the Member of Parliament for Panmure
Panmure (New Zealand electorate)
Panmure is a former New Zealand Parliamentary electorate in the southern suburbs of the city of Auckland, from 1984 to 1996.-History:It was a safe Labour seat, held by Bob Tizard and then by his daughter Judith Tizard when he retired. When it was abolished in 1996, Judith Tizard transferred to...
in 1990.
He married Beryl Vignale of Canada in 1989. The couple had been engaged during World War II.
Member of Parliament
Tizard was the Member of Parliament for TamakiTamaki (New Zealand electorate)
Tāmaki is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. The electorate is named after the Tamaki River that runs immediately east of the seat...
from 1957
New Zealand general election, 1957
The 1957 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 32nd term. It saw the governing National Party narrowly defeated by the Labour Party...
to 1960
New Zealand general election, 1960
The 1960 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 33rd term. It saw the governing Labour Party defeated by the National Party, putting an end to the short second Labour government.-Background:...
, when he was defeated by National's Robert Muldoon
Robert Muldoon
Sir Robert David "Rob" Muldoon, GCMG, CH served as the 31st Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1975 to 1984, as leader of the governing National Party. Muldoon had been a prominent member of the National party and MP for the Tamaki electorate for some years prior to becoming leader of the party...
. He returned to parliament in the 1963 Otahuhu by-election, but in the 1963 general election
New Zealand general election, 1963
The 1963 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 34th term. The results were almost identical to those for the previous election, and the governing National Party remained in office....
was elected MP for Pakuranga
Pakuranga (New Zealand electorate)
rightPakuranga is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate.It is currently held by Maurice Williamson MP, a member of the National Party.-Population centres:Pakuranga is one of sixty-three general electorates used in New Zealand general elections...
. In 1972
New Zealand general election, 1972
The New Zealand general election of 1972 was held to elect MPs to the 37th session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Labour Party, led by Norman Kirk, defeated the governing National Party.-Background:...
he became MP for Otahuhu
Otahuhu (New Zealand electorate)
Otahuhu is a former New Zealand Parliamentary electorate in the southern suburbs of the city of Auckland, from 1938 to 1963, and then from 1972 to 1984.-History:...
again. In 1984
New Zealand general election, 1984
The 1984 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the 41st New Zealand Parliament. It marked the beginning of the Fourth Labour Government, with David Lange's Labour Party defeating long-serving Prime Minister Robert Muldoon of the National Party. It was also the...
he became MP for Panmure
Panmure (New Zealand electorate)
Panmure is a former New Zealand Parliamentary electorate in the southern suburbs of the city of Auckland, from 1984 to 1996.-History:It was a safe Labour seat, held by Bob Tizard and then by his daughter Judith Tizard when he retired. When it was abolished in 1996, Judith Tizard transferred to...
, until he retired in 1990.
Cabinet minister
Tizard was appointed as Minister of Health when the Kirk Labour GovernmentThird Labour Government of New Zealand
The Third Labour Government of New Zealand was the government of New Zealand from 1972 to 1975. During its time in office, it carried out a wide range of reforms in areas such as overseas trade, farming, public works, energy generation, local government, health, the arts, sport and recreation,...
was elected in 1972. Following the death of Kirk in 1974, he became Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister, replacing Bill Rowling
Bill Rowling
Sir Wallace Edward Rowling, KCMG , often known as Bill Rowling, was the 30th Prime Minister of New Zealand. He was in office for just over a year, having been appointed Prime Minister following the death of the highly popular Norman Kirk...
(who the caucus elected Prime Minister) in both roles. In the Lange Government he held the Defence portfolio as well as the Science and Technology portfolio.
Life after politics
In 2009, at the age of 85, Bob Tizard was asked to speak, as a historian, on aspects of WWII at a dinner held to honour Captain Jack Lyon, a New Zealand war hero and former Labour Party Member of Parliament. An mp3 recording of the 25 minute speech is available here.In 2007 Tizard announced his candidacy for the Auckland District Health Board. He was elected to the board, at the age of 83.