Bob Tizard, New Zealand politician, Deputy Prime Minister, Died at 91

Robert James “Bob” Tizard CNZM was born on June 7, 1924, and died on January 28, 2016.

He was a Labour politician from New Zealand.

Tizard served as Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, Minister of Health and Minister of Defence.

In 1972, Bob was appointed as Minister of Health when the Kirk Labour Government was elected.

After the death of Kirk in 1974, he became Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister, replacing Bill Rowling (who the caucus elected Prime Minister) in both roles.

As the Minister of Finance, Bob Tizard’s budget interject a number of progressive measures, such as an expansion of spending on education which contributed a standard bursary for all students in tertiary studies.

As a Lange Government member, he held the Defence portfolio as well as the Science and Technology portfolio.

Bob Tizard was asked to speak, as a historian, on aspects of WWII at a dinner held to honour Captain Jack Lyon, a New Zealand war hero and former Labour Party Member of Parliament, in 2009, at 85 yrs old.

There is a mp3 recording of the 25-minute speech is available online.

Bob Tizard announced his candidacy for the Auckland District Health Board, in 2007.

Bob was elected to the board, at the age of 83.

Minister Bob Tizard passed away at 91 yrs old.