David Lange

David Lange was Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1984 to 1989. He headed one of the most radical governments in the history of New Zealand, as his ministers Roger Douglas and Richard Prebble rapidly dismantled the legacies of Robert Muldoon.

Although nominally a Labour Party government, a rapid programme of deregulation and privatisation appeared to take inspiration more from Reaganomics and Thatcherism then traditional left wing values. During the early years yuppie culture flourished and the stock market boomed as investment companies flourished.

Lange gave something back to the left with a long running campaign against nuclear weapons. Visits of warships from the United States ended when the USA refused to confirm or deny that any particular vessel was carrying such weapons, and New Zealand was effectively detached from the ANZUS alliance. Relations with France were also strained by Rainbow Warrior affair from July 10, 1985. One of the highlights of this period was a widely televised Oxford Union debate in 1985 where Lange, a skilled orator, argued for the proposition that "nuclear weapons are morally indefensible", in opposition to Jerry Falwell.

The stock market crash of October 19, 1987 showed that the financial bubble had little substance (similar to the Enron debacle of 2001) and many of the high-flying companies proved to be worthless. In 1988 consensus on economic policy amongst the Labour leadership finally broke down, with Lange dismissing finance minister Roger Douglas after Douglas proposed a radical flat income tax.

Lange resigned as party leader and Prime Minister in 1989.