Third Labour Government of New Zealand

Third Labour Government
Ministries of New Zealand
1972–1975
Date formed	8 December 1972
Date dissolved	12 December 1975
People and organisations
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Norman Kirk (1972–1974) Bill Rowling (1974–1975)
Deputy Prime Minister	Hugh Watt (1972–1974) Bob Tizard (1974–1975)
Member party	Labour Party
Opposition party	National Party
Opposition leader	Jack Marshall (1972–1974) Robert Muldoon (1974–1975)
History
Election(s)	1972 general election
Predecessor	Second National Government of New Zealand
Successor	Third National 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, regional development, environmental protection, education, housing, and social welfare.^[1][2] Māori also benefited from revisions to the laws relating to land, together with a significant increase in a Māori and Island Affairs building programme.^[3] In addition, the government encouraged biculturalism and a sense of New Zealand identity. However, the government damaged relations between Pākehā and Pasifika New Zealanders by instituting the Dawn Raids on alleged overstayers from the Pacific Islands; the raids have been described as "the most blatantly racist attack on Pacific peoples by the New Zealand government in New Zealand’s history".^[4] The government lasted for one term before being defeated a year after the death of its popular leader, Norman Kirk.