A MAN OF THE PEOPLE
MIKE’S LASTING LEGACY
Farewell to Mike Moore
Equally at home in the smoko room as he was in the boardroom or on the world stage, Mike Moore, who died last week aged 71, is being remembered as a passionate politician with a generous heart who would go in to bat for everyday people.
Born in Whakatane in 1949, Mike left school at 14, working as a labourer and a printer. He joined the Labour Party at 16 and became New Zealand’s youngest Member of Parliament when, at the age of just 23, he was elected MP for
Mt Eden in 1972.
Three years later he married Yvonne Dereany, a teacher and children’s TV presenter who he often acknowledged made him not only a better person but a better politician and leader.
In 1978, Mike moved to Christchurch and was elected MP for Papanui, a seat he held for the rest of his parliamentary career. He went on to hold various portfolios including tourism, trade and foreign affairs before becoming
Labour Party leader.
A member of
the infamous group known as the “fish and chip brigade” or “B Team”, Mike’s big personality and confidence was seen as a potential saviour of the government when he was brought in as Prime Minister in the lead-up to the 1990 election. However, his reign in the Beehive was brief – just 59 days – with National winning in a landslide.
He was also known for his work ethic, his behind-thescenes humanity – he was known to help people with their power bills – and his never-ending capacity to come up with ideas, one of which was the now famous lamb burger.
A former parliamentary colleague recalls a down-toearth approach when it came to replying to correspondence. Rather than a formulaic acknowledgement to letters, there would be a postcard − “with a very nice picture of
Mike and Yvonne on one side” − and a personal, handwritten message in his “very cool architect-like handwriting” alongside a big bold signature.
Dame Annette King (72), now New Zealand’s High Commissioner to Australia, notes his generosity of spirit is unparalleled.
“My most enduring personal memory is the regular phone calls from him after I lost my seat in the 1990 election for the following three years, until I was re-elected, just to see if I was okay.”
She says Mike’s conviction that free trade would lift people out of poverty and his passion for New Zealand and its people are among his many legacies: “Neither dimmed over the years.”
Clayton Cosgrove (50), who initially worked as an adviser to Mike but later took over his Waimakariri electorate, remembers his friend and mentor as someone who inspired ferocious loyalty.
“Mike was a relentless worker. He had fax machines put in all our offices − I think I got the first fax machine in the Beehive. It was an old diesel-driven clunker, and on Sunday morning the thing would explode as Mike sent through things to do!”
He had a unique notion of forgiveness, Clayton says.
“Whenever he got kicked in the guts or stabbed in the back, and we’d be remonstrating about the unfairness he would always say, ‘Well yes, but... there’s probably a reason for whatever it was’.”
Following his retirement from New Zealand politics, Mike was Director-General of the World Trade Organization and held the post of New Zealand Ambassador to the United States from 2010 to 2015.
He suffered a stroke in 2015 while in Washington DC and had been in declining health in recent years.
Just two days before he died, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (39) visited Mike, Clayton reveals.
“I think that was cathartic for
Mike. He would often say, ‘Mate, I don’t think I’m going to see another Labour government in my lifetime.’ Jacinda gave that to him and it was a great gift.
“I think they share something and that is authenticity.
“While Mike was comfortable in the smoko room or having a beer at the working men’s club or a coffee, he could also walk across the road to the boardroom and engage in discourse with business leaders but then, equally, he could get on a plane and meet international leaders. And not just doff his hat at them but promote New Zealand and promote world trade.
“He wasn’t a glad-hander.
You can’t act authenticity.”