Mike Moore
1949-2020
Former New Zealand prime minister Mike Moore has died, aged 71.
Moore served as prime minister with Labour from September to November in 1990, at the age of 41, installed by his caucus weeks before the 1990 general election, replacing
Sir Geoffrey Palmer.
At the time, he was New Zealand’s third prime minister in 13 months, and lasted 59 days in the job until Labour lost the general election. Moore subsequently lost the party leadership to Helen Clark but he stayed in Parliament for nine years in Opposition.
‘‘I enjoyed Parliament, I came back to the party and I had a couple of senior jobs,’’ Moore recalled in 2018. ‘‘But I just saw the way the place was managed, that I would not be as successful as I wanted to be. And my mind started travelling.’’
Moore’s wife, Yvonne, said yesterday he had suffered ‘‘numerous health issues’’ since having a stroke in 2015 while he was New Zealand’s ambassador in Washington DC.
She said he wanted to spend his final months in Kawakawa and Moerewa in the Far North, where he grew up. ‘‘[He] wanted to spend his final months in the place that gave him his drive, spirit and courage.’’
Moore spent most of his summer in Matauri Bay, only returning to Auckland in recent weeks due to ill health.
Yvonne Moore described him as ‘‘stubborn, optimistic, generous and kind’’.
Moore’s greatest fear was that he would die before seeing another Labour government.
‘‘He was elated when Jacinda Ardern became prime minister and thought she was extraordinarily gifted and had the potential to achieve more for New Zealand and on the international stage than any other leader.’’
In 1999, Moore secured the job of director-general of the World Trade Organisation, a job he kept until 2002.
Ardern said yesterday she had been ‘‘incredibly lucky’’ to see Moore on Friday.
She said he had marked his legacy to New Zealand by opening up world trade and creating opportunities for New Zealand exporters to new markets.
‘‘He dedicated his life to the service of New Zealand. The world lost a man with a huge intellect and a huge heart today.’’
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters described Moore as ‘‘one of the great New Zealanders’’.
‘‘Mike spent every day of his life trying to make things better for New Zealand and New Zealanders.’’