Animposing presence

History will invariably remember Sir Brian Talboys as the man who could have, perhaps should have, ousted Sir Robert Muldoon as primeminister in 1980. Such a political sea-change would have altered the face of history, potentially averting tensions and upheavals which went on to rack the nation over the ensuing years.

But amore fitting epitaph would be his far-sightedness in defining New Zealand’s place in world affairs, its conduct of foreign relations and its enduring trade links, most conspicuously in Closer Economic Relations (CER) with Australia.

Talboys was a towering figure in every respect – a strapping 1.93m tall with a stride to match, and a warm and ebullient nature as a contrast to his brilliant oratory and devastating skill in parliamentary debates.

In a political career that spanned 24 years, he was universally respected internationally, nationally and at home in his Southland electorate of Wallace for fairmindedness and plain-dealing.

Born in Whanganui in 1921, Brian Edward Talboys died peacefully in Invercargill on June 3, four days short of his 91st birthday.

Educated in Whanganui, he worked initially with a stock and station agent before air force training in World War II, serving for a period in Canada.

Returning to New Zealand he completed a BA in history and economics at Victoria University and began displaying the aptitude for debating which became a hallmark of his subsequent political career.

He applied to join the Department of External Affairs, but was considered too old at 28, so he took up agricultural journalism and became deputy editor of the Dairy Exporter magazine.

After marriage in 1950 to Patricia Adamson, he turned to farming and was selected as the National candidate in 1957 for the blue-riband seat of Wallace.

Such was his first speech in Parliament – his imposing stature, command of language, and quality of argument – that Labour Prime Minister Walter Nash tipped him as a future primeminister.

In 1961 he joined a number of other National MPs who crossed the floor of Parliament to defeat their own Government’s legislation to re-introduce capital punishment for murder.

His potential was recognised early by PrimeMinister Keith Holyoake who made him Minister of Agriculture in 1962, with subsequent portfolios including science, education and trade and industry up to 1972.

After three years in Opposition from 1972-75, Talboys became deputy primeminister to Muldoon with the portfolios of foreign affairs, overseas trade and national development.

Such was his skill that it was claimed three subsequent foreign ministers emulated his approach.

‘‘Brian had an instinctive and articulate grasp of how global changes affected New Zealand, particularly Britain joining the European market,’’ Finance Minister Bill English said when he delivered the eulogy at last week’s funeral service in Winton.

‘‘How many times did we hear him say ‘The world doesn’t owe us a living’, and how right he was,’’ English said.

As Opposition leader on the 25th anniversary of CER, English said he sought advice from Talboys on a speech he had to give at a function with then Australian prime minister John Howard.

He was advised to say something no-one else could say, that the three principal architects of CER – Talboys, Hugh Templeton and Laurie Francis – all lived within a stone’s throw of Winton.

Howard subsequently said it was the only interesting speech he had ever heard on CER. As deputy to Muldoon until 1981, Talboys was confronted by the stark contrast between diplomatic subtleties abroad and tense politics at home; huge pressure for economic change, Maori land marches, the Springbok tour and meat industry chaos.

The push for a leadership change occurred in 1980 – the so-called Colonels’ Coup – spearheaded by Derek Quigley, Jim McLay and Jim Bolger; a conspiracy which gained traction while Muldoon was overseas.

Lobbying and head-counting initially indicated amajority for change, with Talboys the preferred successor.

Talboys would not commit to a challenge while Muldoon was out of the country, former Speaker Sir Robin Gray recalled this week.

When Muldoon returned to Wellington, he scared ‘‘the living daylights’’ out of some and support for change wilted.

The coup was aborted when Bolger reneged, his defection being ‘‘seen by his fellow-conspirators as having sealed Muldoon’s victory over the pro-Talboys faction’’, according to Muldoon’s biographer Barry Gustafson.

No vote was taken and Talboys remained deputy leader for a time, but retired from Parliament at the 1981 election.

While some attribute the coup’s failure to his seeming indecisiveness, intimates consider he was more mindful of the party fracturing and conscious that a rejected Muldoon would torment his successor – as McLay discovered in assuming the leadership after National’s 1984 election defeat.

Talboys was a Companion of Honour (CH), was made a Companion of the Order of Australia for services to Australia/New Zealand relations and was made Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in 1991 for public services.

After leaving Parliament, he held various positions in the business world and maintained a lively interest in politics, family life, swimming and gardening.

Sir Brian Talboys is survived by Patricia, Lady Talboys and sons Guy and Drew.