Anderton Jim: Obituaries — Rt Hon David Russell Lange ONZ CH John Finlay Luxton QSO Hon John Howard Falloon CNZM Rod David Donald 
Anderton Jim: Obituaries — Rt Hon David Russell Lange ONZ CH John Finlay Luxton QSO Hon John Howard Falloon CNZM Rod David Donald 
[Volume:628;Page:58] 
Hon JIM ANDERTON (Leader—Progressive) 
: 
 There is a poignancy in the deaths of David Lange and Rod Donald since this House last met. I worked closely with both of them at various times and of course parted company in a variety of ways with both as well. Both had a commitment to social justice. Both held leadership positions in this House. Both of course left things undone that they might have accomplished if fate had chosen differently. 
That David Lange possessed colossal talents is indisputable. I was sometimes thrilled by his talent and wit as we all saw what he could do. But there were times too when he frustrated and disappointed and when I and others felt he squandered the opportunity that New Zealand had handed him. I was president of the Labour Party when David Lange and his supporters attempted to replace Bill Rowling in 1981. I continue to believe that had that leadership attempt not been made New Zealand’s modern political and economic history would have been vastly different. Rob Muldoon’s disastrous period in Government probably would have been avoided. A Rowling Government would have begun to repair New Zealand in a caring and humane way. The deep social damage and economic failure of the 1980s need not have occurred. David Lange would still have become Prime Minister—there is no question in my mind about that—but perhaps not so soon. It would have been a wiser leader who had served with Bill Rowling who could have shaped a far less divisive Government. I firmly believe he might then have joined Seddon Savage and Kirk in the first rank of revered leaders. 
I was also the Labour Party president when David Lange became Prime Minister. I know David harboured pain for the social scars his Government inflicted. He entered politics in the first place because he was motivated by social justice. David Lange did care though his awareness grew only slowly that the economic policies his Government followed could not be reconciled with social justice. Long after he left Parliament he seemed to be struggling still to reconcile the two. Knowing the history of the times as I do it is incumbent on me—and Rodney Hide has mentioned it himself—to record the small irony that David Lange’s name is now forever linked to New Zealand’s nuclear policy. Although he was a lifelong critic of nuclear weapons he never felt the same conviction towards visits by nuclear-powered ships—that is true. There were some dark policy debates within the Labour Party at the time on those matters. I have little doubt that when Mr Lange met the United States Secretary of State George Shultz immediately after the election he indicated that in some way a compromise could be worked out. Bob Hawke certainly thought so. It might not have been explicit but it was there and that impression explains much of the difficult birth of the policy. As the room for compromise disappeared David Lange became the public champion of the policy. There is some ironic justice in the fact that the policy remains perhaps the most important achievement of his Government. 
In my view however David Lange should not be remembered primarily for policy nor for politics. His gift of oratory was a treasure. He was a warm person to many many New Zealanders and to those from other countries. His lashing wit his formidable intelligence and his sense of humour towered over his contemporaries. There was one story about him hosting a dinner at Vogel House for the Chinese leader Hu Yaobang which was retold in the  
Dominion 
 many years ago. As the current occupant of this fine State house I want to recall the story even though David despised the drive in from Vogel House in the mornings and eventually left to set up home in Premier House. At the dinner for the Chinese guest the lights went out. This was back in the days of course when the New Zealand Electricity Department ran things and had a higher tolerance for brown-outs evidently. Mr Lange immediately asked all his guests to raise their hands. He told them: “Many hands make lights work.” 
The guests duly put up their hands and immediately and miraculously the lights came back on again. David Lange’s light flashed over New Zealand. It was unique brilliant and like a lighthouse lamp it flicked off as well as on. We can be grateful for the chance we had to experience his shining personality. 
As with David Lange I spent some time as a parliamentary colleague of Rod Donald before we went our separate ways. I was the Alliance leader when Rod Donald was first elected to Parliament. He arrived with a flowerpot to put on his desk—something that not many people in this Parliament had ever seen before. He wanted to wear his braces and no tie in the parliamentary debating chamber. He brought his possum fur rug to cover his seat. In a small way those things represented his enthusiasm for bringing freshness to Parliament—a campaign that reached its zenith in his campaign for MMP. He was a tireless advocate of democracy as his co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons has said. As a matter of fact he was a tireless campaigner in everything he did. Rod always held his temper in the political arena. He was never a shouter or a whiner; he was a cheerful confident advocate. In recent weeks many people remarked that he displayed poise and character in what must have been a very difficult time for his own political ambitions and his ambitions for his own party. 
Rod fought four elections as co-leader of the Greens—three of those when the Greens were outside of the Alliance. I must admit that I always thought—and I said it to Rod—that the decision to leave the Alliance might mean he never served in a Cabinet of New Zealand. I suspect that he too knew that in his own heart and the opportunity to promote some of his passions was to some extent at least lost. It is often remarked of course that small parties like mine pay a high price for being part of a coalition Government. But it is also clear that small parties pay a high price for not being in a coalition Government as well. 
There were many issues that Rod and I did not agree on in the last few years but we shared a belief that New Zealand should be a softer place. His Green Party colleagues and many supporters who are grieving now share that vision too. If his legacy is a renewed commitment to making New Zealand a softer caring society and a fairer place then his contribution deserves to be lasting and honoured. 
Rod died very young but he dedicated himself over decades to thinking about the future for New Zealand’s children and the future they should inherit. Now he has been taken at a shockingly young age from his own family. My deepest sympathies go to his partner and children. We often overlook the heavy toll that Parliament and political life takes on families. Rod Donald’s family as well as Rod himself gave to New Zealand many years of toil on behalf of us all and for that we owe them our deep gratitude. I put on record my respect for his political passion and commitment and extend my deepest sympathies to his party colleagues friends supporters and all who have lost a fine battler companion and friend. 
I also pay a very brief tribute to Jack Luxton. He was a farmer. I do not know whether he ever thought that I would be Minister of Agriculture but I doubt it. Jack was as straight a human being as a gun barrel. We could not have had a more upfront straight-in-the-eye person than Jack Luxton. All who knew him well in this Parliament respected him deeply and honoured his friendship—and he was a friend as far as I know to everyone in this place. 
The Hon John Falloon was an intelligent advocate of the rural communities of New Zealand—there is no question about that—but he was also a compassionate human being. I recall John’s willingness at the height of some of the freezing works closures when he was Minister of Agriculture to meet people from the Opposition who were concerned about constituents and his willingness to go the extra mile as a Minister of Agriculture in a National Party Government to help freezing workers in a time of need. I have never forgotten that. He had a huge compassion and a huge heart and he will be deeply missed. May they all rest in peace.