Table of Contents

Big Initiatives -- Geoff Palmer from Nelson -- A New Zealand Progressive -- The Road to Parliament -- The Junior Backbencher -- The Rule of Law -- Backroom Boy -- Towards Power -- In Power -- Great Issues of Principle -- Home and Away -- Normal Access -- Comprehensive Change -- The Dance of Legislation -- A Second Term -- Crash -- An Avalanche of Reform -- The Earth Moves -- An Election Year -- The Court of History

About the Author

Raymond Richards was born in Hamilton, New Zealand. He gained a BA (Hons) from the University of Waikato before heading to the US to study for an MA in Historical Studies at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He completed his PhD at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 1989. In 1994 Penn State Press published his book Closing the Door to Destitution: The shaping of the Social Security Acts of the United States and New Zealand, which was nominated for five awards. Dr Richards is now a senior lecturer in History at the University of Waikato.

Reviews

Richards has given us an indispensable study of 'the lawmaker' who was arguably New Zealand's best ever deputy prime minister." —Neil Stockley, New Zealand Listener

"Clearly written with detailed footnotes, Palmer will be an important text for those interested in New Zealand politics." —Neil Miller, Waikato Times