Moore, Mike

▪ prime minister of New Zealand

byname of  Michael Kenneth Moore  

born Jan. 28, 1949, Whakatane, N.Z.

      leader of the New Zealand Labour Party who was prime minister from Sept. 4 to Oct. 27, 1990.

      Educated at Bay of Islands College and Dilworth School, Moore held various jobs, including that of social worker and printer, before entering Parliament in 1972. From 1984 to 1990 he held various ministries in the Labour government, including those dealing with international trade, tourism, and publicity, and from January to October 1990 he was minister of foreign affairs. When Prime Minister Geoffrey Palmer resigned in September 1990, Moore won the post, but his term as head of government lasted only eight weeks, until the general elections of October 27 resulted in the ouster of the Labour Party and the installation of the National Party.

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