Mike Moore (New Zealand Politician) - Member of Parliament

Member of Parliament

Moore began his parliamentary career when elected as the MP for Eden in 1972, becoming the youngest Member of Parliament ever elected in New Zealand. In 1978 he moved to Christchurch and was elected MP for the north Christchurch electorate, then known as Papanui. He held the seat until 1999: as Papanui until 1984, as Christchurch North until 1996, and as Waimakariri thereafter.

As a government minister he has held numerous portfolios, becoming best known in his role as Overseas Trade Minister with involvement in the GATT negotiations. In 1987 he also became Minister of External Relations and in 1988 Deputy Minister of Finance. In 1990 he became leader of the Labour Party and consequently Prime Minister for a few months, convincing the Labour caucus that, while he could not win the election for Labour, he would help save more seats than staying with the incumbent, Geoffrey Palmer. The Labour government was not returned to power in the next general election. He led the Official Opposition until 1993 and was spokesman on Foreign Affairs and Trade until 1999. He strongly considered forming a break-away party, the New Zealand Democratic Coalition, for the 1996 MMP election but then decided against it.

In 1998, he ran for the post of Director-General of the World Trade Organisation and was elected to this position on 22 July 1999. He took up the post on 1 September 1999. The deal with his rival and successor Supachai Panitchpakdi meant that he served only half of the usual six year term in the post.