Michael Bassett
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- For the British screenwriter and director, see Michael J. Bassett
Michael Edward Rainton Bassett, QSO (b. 1938) is a former Labour Party member of the New Zealand House of Representatives and cabinet minister in the reformist fourth Labour government. He is also a noted New Zealand historian, and has published a number of books on New Zealand politics, including biographies of Prime Ministers Peter Fraser, Gordon Coates and Joseph Ward.
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[edit] Life before politics
Bassett was born in 1938 in Auckland and educated at Owairaka School, Dilworth School, Mt Albert Grammar, and the University of Auckland. He completed BA and MA degrees in history at the University of Auckland before winning a fellowship to Duke University in the United States in 1961. He completed a PhD in American history there before returning to New Zealand in 1964. He then became a senior lecturer at the University of Auckland.
[edit] Political career
In 1971 Bassett was elected to the Auckland City Council. In the following year, he was electedas a Labour MP for Waitemata in the 1972 election, and the Labour Party became the government for the first time since 1960. Following the death of Prime Minister Norman Kirk the party (and Bassett) were defeated in the following (1975) election.
Bassett was elected to the Te Atatu seat in 1978 election, and held it to 1990.
In 1984, a landslide to Labour resulted in New Zealand's fourth Labour government. Bassett was appointed as Minister of Health and Local Government, and from 1987 to 1990, Minister of Internal Affairs, Local Government, Civil Defence and Arts and Culture. He was chairman of the New Zealand Lottery Grants Board and of the 1990 Commission, tasked with the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. In his capacity as Minister of Internal Affairs he also helped reorganise Waitangi Day celebrations and encourage them around New Zealand.
The Fourth Labour government enacted a major programme of economic and social reform, the economic arm of which is known as Rogernomics. Major social reforms included the decriminalisation of homosexuality in the Homosexual Law Reform Act 1986. Bassett was a wholehearted supporter of the reforms, and when the government and party schismed over issues of economic reform, Bassett took the side of finance minister Roger Douglas, the main architect of the reforms. In 1990, Labour was defeated in another landslide election. Bassett did not contest the 1990 election, and retired from active politics.
He continued occasionally to be involved at an advisory level, for example unofficially advising Don Brash during his term as National Party leader. Bassett's apparent switch of sides reflects the present-day Labour Party's semi-repudiation of Rogernomics.
[edit] Subsequent career
Bassett resumed his academic career, publishing several books on New Zealand political history, and contributing to the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography and the British Dictionary of National Biography. He was a Professor of History at the University of Western Ontario on and off from 1992 to 1996, taught at the Auckland University Medical School from 1997 to 2000, and was a Fulbright Professor of New Zealand Studies at Georgetown University, Washington DC.
From 1994 to 2004 Bassett was a member of the Waitangi Tribunal, which investigates breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi. He was a columnist for the Dominion Post in Wellington (until late 2006) [1] and the Press in Christchurch.
[edit] Trivia
- Bassett is a cousin of late Prime Minister, David Lange. Lange's father, who was a doctor, delivered Bassett.
[edit] Personal life
Bassett is married to Judith Bassett, a historian at the University of Auckland and a member of the Auckland Regional Council. They have two children and one grandchild.
[edit] Further reading
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- The Kaipara claim: a Waitangi Tribunal hearing at the Wakaretu Marae in Pouto [videorecording], Wellington, [N.Z.]: Crown Forestry Rental Trust, 1997
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- Bassett is one of the speakers on this video recording.
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- MMP, changing the way we govern: 23 & 24 March 1994, Plaza International Hotel, Wellington [prepared by the Institute for International Research], Auckland, [N.Z.]: The Institute, 1994
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- Bassett's contribution is a paper entitled: "How often will there be a change of government and how should the change be dealt with?"
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- A proposed Ministry of Arts & Culture, Te Kete Aronui: discussion paper, Wellington, [N.Z.]: Dept. of Internal Affairs, 1989
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- Bassett, as the Minister for Arts and Culture, provided a foreword for this paper.
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- The regional dimension of government's policy: extracts from ministerial speeches [Report (Canterbury (N.Z.). United Council); no. 364], Christchurch, [N.Z.]: Canterbury United Council, 1986, ISBN 1-869-37020-1
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- Two of Bassett's speeches (from December 1985, and April 1986) are excerpted here.
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- Bassett, Michael (1967), The depression of the thirties, Auckland, [N.Z.]: Heinemann Educational Books
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- Bassett, Michael (1970), Our newspapers, Auckland, [N.Z.]: Auckland University Labour Club
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- Bassett, Michael (1972), Confrontation '51: the 1951 waterfront dispute, Wellington, [N.Z.]: A.H. & A.W. Reed, ISBN 0-589-00681-9
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- Bassett, Michael (1975), The American deal: social welfare U.S.A. 1932-1964 [Studies in 20th century history series], Auckland, [N.Z.]: Heinemann Educational Books
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- Bassett, Michael (1976), The third Labour government: a personal history, Palmerston North, [N.Z.]: Dunmore Press, ISBN 0-908-56430-9
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- Bassett, Michael (1979), "Getting together again" , Auckland, [N.Z.]: P. J. Harris, ISBN 0-868-70000-2
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- Bassett, Michael (1982), Three party politics in New Zealand, 1911-1931, n.p.: Historical Publications, ISBN 0-868-70006-1
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- Bassett, Michael (1986), Reform of local and regional government: policy document, Wellington, [N.Z.]: Office of the Minister of Local Government, ISBN 0-477-05629-6
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- Bassett was the Minister of Local Government at the time.
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- Bassett, Michael (1988), Statement on reform of local and regional government, Wellington, [N.Z.]: Office of the Minister of Local Government, ISBN 0-477-05625-3
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- Bassett was the Minister of Local Government at the time.
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- Bassett, Michael (1993), Sir Joseph Ward: a political biography, Auckland, [N.Z.]: Auckland University Press, ISBN 1-869-40079-8
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- Bassett, Michael (1995), Coates of Kaipara, Auckland, [N.Z.]: Auckland University Press, ISBN 1-869-40117-4
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- Bassett, Michael (1997), The mother of all departments: the history of the Department of Internal Affairs, Auckland, [N.Z.]: Auckland University Press in association with the Historical Branch, ISBN 1-869-40175-1
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- Bassett, Michael (1998), The state in New Zealand, 1840-1984: socialism without doctrines?, Auckland, [N.Z.]: Auckland University Press, ISBN 1-869-40193-X
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- Bassett, Michael (2008), Working with Lange: inside the Lange cabinet, Auckland, [N.Z.]: Hodder Moa, ISBN 9781869710941
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- Bassett, Michael & Bassett, Judith (2006), Roderick Deane: his life and times, Auckland, [N.Z.]: Viking, ISBN 0-670-04567-5
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- Bassett, Michael & Harris, Peter (1977), Labour and you: an introduction to the New Zealand Labour Party, Auckland, [N.Z.]: M. Bassett & P. Harris
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- Bassett, Michael & Harris, Peter (1978), Labour and health, Auckland, [N.Z.]: M. Bassett & P. Harris
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- Bassett, Michael & Harris, Peter (1980), Labour and you: an introduction to the New Zealand Labour Party (rev. ed.), Auckland, [N.Z.]: M. Bassett & P. Harris, ISBN 0-86870005-3
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- Bassett, Michael & King, Michael (2000), Tomorrow comes the song: a life of Peter Fraser, Auckland, [N.Z.]: Penguin, ISBN 0-140-29793-6
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- Bassett, Michael, 'Airey, William Thomas Goodwin 1897-1968'. Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, updated 22 June 2007, <http://www.dnzb.govt.nz>. Retrieved on 17 April 2008
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- Bassett, Michael, 'Coates, Gordon Joseph 1878-1943'. Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, updated 22 June 2007, <http://www.dnzb.govt.nz>. Retrieved on 17 April 2008
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- Bassett, Michael, 'Kirk, Norman Eric 1923-1974'. Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, updated 22 June 2007, <http://www.dnzb.govt.nz>. Retrieved on 17 April 2008
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- Bassett, Michael, 'Ward, Joseph George 1856-1930'. Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, updated 22 June 2007, <http://www.dnzb.govt.nz>. Retrieved on 17 April 2008
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- Bassett, Michael & Nola, Robert (ed.) (1966?), New Zealand and South-East Asia: lectures given at a "teach-in" on South-East Asia, 12 September 1965, Auckland?, [N.Z.]: Committee on South East Asia (Auckland)
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- Clark, Margaret (ed.) (2001), Three Labour leaders : Nordmeyer, Kirk, Rowling, Palmerston North, [N.Z.]: Dunmore Press, ISBN 0-864-69394-X
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- Bassett's contribution is a paper entitled: "Politics versus the economy, 1940-1975."
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- Clark, Margaret (ed.) (2005), For the record: Lange and the fourth Labour government, Wellington, [N.Z.]: Dunmore Press, ISBN 1-877-39910-8
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- Bassett's contribution is a paper entitled: "Cabinet making, cabinet breaking."
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- Gustafson, Barry & Bassett, Michael (1987), The development of the Labour Party [sound recording] / Barry Gustafson. The development of the National Party / Michael Bassett [Insight '87], Wellington, [N.Z.]: Replay Radio, Radio New Zealand
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- Goldsmith, Paul & Bassett, Michael (2007), The Myers, Auckland, [N.Z.]: David Ling, ISBN 9781877378133
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- Hodgetts, J. W. & Bradbourne, A. A. (1989), Auckland Harbour Edge Investigation Committee report [commissioned by the Minister of Local Government, the Hon. Dr. Michael Bassett], Auckland, [N.Z.]: The Committee
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- Jarman, Mike (1989), Proposal for Ministry of Arts and Culture -- Te Kete Aronui: discussion paper, Wellington?, [N.Z.]: the author?
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- This paper was requested by Bassett - in his capacity as Minister for Arts and Culture.
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- Kelly, Dean Christopher (1993), A health service for New Zealand: a study of the 1974 government White Paper on reform of health services in New Zealand [M.A. - University of Auckland]
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- This thesis has an interview (on cassette) with Bassett (and Russell Marshall) attached.
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- O'Brien, Patty (eds.) & Vaughn, Bruce (2005), Amongst friends: Australian and New Zealand voices from America, Dunedin, [N.Z.]: University of Otago Press, ISBN 1-877-27693-6
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- Bassett's contribution is entitled: "The collapse of New Zealand's military ties with the United States."
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- Prebble, Richard; Bassett, Michael & Harris, Peter (1978), Environment, energy, forestry: Labour's 1978 manifesto, Auckland, [N.Z.]: R. Prebble, M. Bassett, P. Harris
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- Schmitt, G. J. & Bassett, Michael (1999), Correspondence between Michael Bassett and G.J. Schmitt on aspects of Dr. Bassett's book "The state in New Zealand, 1840-1984.", Auckland, [N.Z.]: G. J. Schmitt
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- Stead, C. K. (1990), Voices, Wellington, [N.Z.]: GP Books, ISBN 0-477-00003-7
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- This poem was a commission from Bassett to celebrate New Zealand's sesqui-centennial year of 1990.