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Viewing cable 05WELLINGTON624, THE DEATH OF DAVID LANGE

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
05WELLINGTON624 2005-08-15 04:41 2011-04-28 00:00 CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN Embassy Wellington
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 WELLINGTON 000624 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
STATE FOR EAP A/S HILL AND EAP/ANP 
NSC FOR NSA HADLEY AND VCHA 
SECDEF FOR OSD/ISA LIZ PHU 
PACOM FOR J0051 HUSO, MUNIPALLI AND POST 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/14/2015 
TAGS: PGOV PREL NZ
SUBJECT: THE DEATH OF DAVID LANGE 
 
Classified By: Charge David R. Burnett, 
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1.  (C) Summary: Former NZ Prime Minister David Lange died on 
August 13, following a long illness.  In the run-up to 
elections, Prime Minister Clark may be hoping to capitalize 
on Labour's identity as the heir apparent to Lange and the 
anti-nuclear policy his Government  implemented.  Most 
observers believe any bounce in the polls would be 
short-lived, however, and we agree.  For all New Zealanders' 
sentimental attachment to Lange, his humor, and his legacy, 
most regard him as a flawed individual.  In any case, the 
election is still five weeks away and voters are far more 
likely to vote on matters of current concern regardless. 
   End Summary. 
 
2.  (U) Former Prime Minister David Lange, who presided over 
the creation of New Zealand's anti-nuclear policy and break 
from ANZUS, died late in the evening on August 13 after a 
long battle with the rare and incurable blood disorder 
amyloidosis and related illnesses.  His death was not 
unexpected: he had been steadily weakening since being 
admitted to an Auckland hospital one month ago with diabetes 
complications. 
 
3.  (SBU) New Zealanders generally regard Lange as one of the 
country's greatest Prime Ministers, noting with special 
fondness how, with wit and self-assurance, he created a sense 
of New Zealand as a distinct entity apart from Britain, the 
United States, and Australia.  There is no better symbol of 
this new identity than the anti-nuclear legislation that was 
passed under Lange's government.  Indeed, it is because the 
legislation is so deeply associated with New Zealand's 
emerging identity and post-Vietnam, anti-American stance that 
so many Kiwis regard altering the ban as akin to spitting on 
the nation's flag. (Although, unlike the nuclear ban, whether 
NZ should change its flag is at least a matter of national 
debate). 
 
4.  (SBU) There is little doubt today that Lange decided to 
implement a ban on nuclear arms as a way to initiate New 
Zealand's break from ANZUS.  By creating friction with the 
United States which virtually forced the U.S. to expel New 
Zealand from the alliance, Lange succeeded also in forging an 
anti-American sentiment here that remains powerful 20 years 
on.  But as former PM Jim Bolger noted in a recent speech, 
Lange ironically had misgivings about introducing the ban on 
nuclear propulsion that remains such a sticking point in 
US-NZ relations today: he believed it was tantamount to 
telling another country how to handle its domestic policies. 
He nevertheless agreed to the propulsion ban in the end, in 
part because it was clear that the public was more worried 
about the environmental impact of radiation than it was about 
nuclear arms, and in part because of strong pressure from the 
more leftist members of his Cabinet (including then-Housing 
Minister and now PM Clark). 
5. (SBU) Unlike former members of his Cabinet such as Health 
Minister Michael Bassett and Deputy Prime Minister Geoffrey 
Palmer, Lange never -- in public or private -- grew to regret 
the split with the United States.  In fact, he was recently 
quoted as saying that if press reports that the National 
Party and others were considering changing the nuclear policy 
were true, he would leave his hospital bed and travel to 
Wellington in his wheel chair to protest. 
 
6.  (SBU) To many former colleagues and observers, Lange was 
also a deeply flawed individual on both a professional and 
personal level.  Although widely credited for cheering the 
country through bleak austerity measures that were necessary 
to prevent total economic collapse, Lange was unable to 
control the factions in his Government, and if anything fed 
them.  When for example he decided that the austerity 
measures initiated by then-Finance Minister Roger Douglas had 
gone too far, Lange took the almost unheard of step of 
overriding his Cabinet to end the flat tax that Douglas had 
implemented.  This eventually led to the sacking of Douglas 
and the other architect of austerity, Richard Prebble in 
1988, and to Lange's own resignation in 1989.  Many in his 
Government also never forgave him for denying he was having 
an affair with his speech writer (whom he eventually married) 
and even more for allowing himself to be influenced by her 
views.  In a recent TV interview, even Lange confessed that 
he had come to see himself as invincible and unaccountable to 
anyone. 
 
7.  (SBU) In later life, Lange became more and more isolated. 
 In his autobiography, "My Life," originally slated for 
September publication but released in early August because of 
his illness, Lange slams virtually every member of his 
Government, noting "What a terrible lot they were."  Most 
were cavalier in response, including PM Clark, who Lange 
accused of having kept out of any inter-Governmental fight as 
long as her own Housing portfolio was well funded. 
 
8.  (U) There will be no official funeral, reportedly at the 
request of Lange and his family.  The Prime Minister has 
said, however, that she will look into the possibility of an 
official memorial service.  Lange's widow, Margaret Pope, 
says that for now she is only focused on the private funeral 
that Lange requested. 
 
9.  (U) Sunday and Monday press reports gave wide coverage to 
Lange's death, including summaries of his life in and out of 
office and numerous editorial comments.  The newspapers also 
printed quotes from Government officials as well as Don Brash 
and other opposition leaders, virtually all of which noted 
Lange's leadership and sense of humor.  Prime Minister Howard 
was also quoted, however, as saying "I respected him, though 
I obviously disagreed very strongly with his decision to take 
New Zealand out of the Anzus treaty."  A statement from the 
American Embassy also got wide coverage, appearing above PM 
Clark's and Dr. Brash's statements in the Sunday Star Times. 
The statement said, "David Lange led New Zealand through a 
difficult period of profound changes at home and abroad.  He 
did so with courage, optimism, and humor, the same traits he 
demonstrated in the face of his illness.  He will be missed 
not only by the people of New Zealand but by his friends in 
the United States.  Our condolences to his family and to the 
people of New Zealand." 
 
10.  (C) Comment: In her remarks on Lange's death, Prime 
Minister Clark stressed his role in making New Zealand 
nuclear free, thereby subtly reminding voters yet again of 
Labour's accusations that the ban would be "gone by 
lunchtime" in a National-led government.  But Clark will not 
be able to claim fully the mantle of Lange's heir apparent, 
especially since he criticized her in his recent 
autobiography.  Nor would claims of being his heir apparent 
necessarily carry a lot of weight with New Zealanders. 
Although they regard with pride Lange's perceived ability to 
put New Zealand on the global stage, their affection for him 
resides largely in his wit and image as a man of the people. 
(One news piece detailed how Lange won the hearts of a local 
Auckland cafe owner and his customers.)  With the exception 
of the nuclear legislation, few remember fondly the austerity 
measures or other Lange Government policies, even if they 
have endured.  And no one would equate the mannerisms of the 
somber Clark with those of the quick-humored Lange.  As the 
British would say, the two are like chalk and cheese. 
 
Burnett