Bob Tizard

The Right Honourable Bob Tizard CNZM
6th Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand
In office 10 September 1974 – 12 December 1975
Prime Minister	Bill Rowling
Preceded by	Hugh Watt
Succeeded by	Brian Talboys
Member of Parliament
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Tamaki
In office 30 November 1957 – 30 November 1960
Prime Minister	Keith Holyoake
Preceded by	Eric Halstead
Succeeded by	Robert Muldoon
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Otahuhu
In office 16 March 1963 – 30 November 1963
Preceded by	James Deas
Succeeded by	Seat abolished 1963
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Pakuranga
In office 30 November 1963 – 25 November 1972
Preceded by	Created 1963
Succeeded by	Gavin Downie
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Otahuhu
In office 25 November 1972 – 14 July 1984
Preceded by	Re-established 1972
Succeeded by	Seat Abolished 1984
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Panmure
In office 14 July 1984 – 27 October 1990
Preceded by	Seat Created 1984
Succeeded by	Judith Tizard
Personal details
Born	Robert James Tizard 7 June 1924 Auckland, New Zealand
Died	28 January 2016 (aged 91) Auckland, New Zealand
Political party	Labour
Spouse(s)	1. Catherine Anne Maclean (m. 1951; div. 1980) 2. Mary Nacey (div.) 3. Beryl Vignale (m. 1989)
Children	Judith Tizard

Robert James "Bob" Tizard CNZM (7 June 1924 – 28 January 2016) was a Labour politician from New Zealand. He served as Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, Minister of Health and Minister of Defence.

Early life and family

Born in Auckland on 7 June 1924, Tizard was the son of Jessie May Tizard (née Phillips} and Henry James Tizard.^[1][2]

He was educated at Meadowbank School and Auckland Grammar School, and earned a university scholarship in 1940.^[3] In March 1943 he joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force. A navigator, he was commissioned as a pilot officer in February 1945,^[3][4] and promoted to flying officer in August 1945.^[5]

After the war, Tizard studied at Auckland University College, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1948 and a Master of Arts in 1950.^[6] His MA thesis was entitled Mr H.E. Holland's Blueprint for New Zealand and the World,^[7] Harry Holland having been the first leader of the New Zealand Labour Party.

While at university, Tizard met future wife Catherine Maclean, while he was president of the Auckland University Students Association. On their second date Tizard told Maclean he was "going into politics. And I'm going to marry you."^[8] They married in 1951, and Tizard unsuccessfully ran for the Remuera electorate later that year at the general election and again at the 1954 general election.

He was finally successful at the 1957 election, winning in Tamaki, but was defeated three years later by Robert Muldoon. The couple moved to Avondale and started a family, with his wife having four children in six years starting at the age of 21 with Anne, followed by Linda, Judith and Nigel. They moved in 1957 to Glendowie in the Tamaki electorate. Tizard ran for and won the Pakuranga electorate at the general election in 1963. His wife then returned to University to complete her degree in Zoology,^[8] and later began teaching at Auckland university. The couple divorced in 1980.^[8]

Catherine Tizard was Mayor of Auckland from 1983-90 and Governor-General of New Zealand from 1990 to 1996. He is the father of former Consumer Affairs minister Judith Tizard, who succeeded her father as the Member of Parliament for Panmure in 1990.

Tizard later married Mary Nacey, with whom he had a son, Joe. They subsequently divorced. He married Beryl Vignale of Canada in 1989. The couple had been engaged during World War II.^[9]

Member of Parliament

Parliament of New Zealand
Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1957–1960	32nd	Tamaki		Labour
1963	33rd	Otahuhu		Labour
1963–1966	34th	Pakuranga		Labour
1966–1969	35th	Pakuranga		Labour
1969–1972	36th	Pakuranga		Labour
1972–1975	37th	Otahuhu		Labour
1975–1978	38th	Otahuhu		Labour
1978–1981	39th	Otahuhu		Labour
1981–1984	40th	Otahuhu		Labour
1984–1987	41st	Panmure		Labour
1987–1990	42nd	Panmure		Labour

Tizard was the Member of Parliament for Tamaki from 1957 to 1960, when he was defeated by National's Robert Muldoon.^[8] He returned to parliament in a 1963 by-election in the Otahuhu electorate, but in the 1963 general election was elected MP for Pakuranga. In 1972 he became MP for Otahuhu again. In 1984 he became MP for Panmure, until he retired in 1990.

Cabinet minister

Tizard was appointed as Minister of Health when the Kirk Labour Government was elected in 1972. Following 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 Minister of Finance, Tizard's budget introduced a number of progressive measures, such as an expansion of spending on education which provided a standard bursary for all students in tertiary studies.^[10] In the Lange Government he held the Defence portfolio as well as the Science and Technology portfolio.

Life after politics

In 2009, at the age of 85, 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. An mp3 recording of the 25 minute speech is available here.^[11]

In 2007 Tizard announced his candidacy for the Auckland District Health Board.^[12] He was elected to the board, at the age of 83.^[13]

Death

Bob Tizard died in Auckland on 28 January 2016, aged 91.^[14]

References

1. International Biographical Centre (1989). Who's who in Australasia and the Far East. International Biographical Centre. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
2. "Births". Auckland Star. 9 June 1924. p. 1. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
3. "Untitled". Auckland Star. 27 February 1945. p. 4. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
4. "New Zealand, World War II appointments, promotions, transfers and resignations, 1939–1945". Ancestry.com Operations. 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2016. (subscription required (help)).
5. "New Zealand, World War II appointments, promotions, transfers and resignations, 1939–1945". Ancestry.com Operations. 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2016. (subscription required (help)).
6. "NZ university graduates 1870–1961: T". Retrieved 28 January 2016.
7. "Mr H.E Holland's Blueprint for New Zealand and the World". Bob Tizard. 1949. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
8. Catherine Tizard (2010). Cat Amongst the Pigeons, A Memoir. Random House. ISBN 978-1-86979-300-5.
9. "NZ minister finally weds war-time sweetheart". Straits Times (Singapore). 29 September 1989. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
10. A Lifetime In Politics: The Memoirs Of Warren Freer by W. W. Freer
11. "Jack Lyon – soldier, democrat, internationalist". Phil Twyford. Red Alert. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
12. Wayne Thompson (28 August 2007). "Tizard's fighting fit to campaign at 83". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 28 August 2007.
13. Errol Kiong (15 October 2007). "Bob Tizard back in political leadership role at the age of 83". The New Zealand Herald.
14. "Former deputy Prime Minister Bob Tizard dies age 91". The New Zealand Herald. 28 January 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.