David Russell Lange

David Lange was born in Otahuhu, Auckland, New Zealand on 4 August 1942 and died on 13 August 2005. He was educated at Fairburn Road primary school, Otahuhu, the Otara intermediate school and Otahuhu college.

He graduated LL.B from Auckland University in 1966 and was admitted to the Bar of the Supreme Court of New Zealand.

After two years travelling overseas, David Lange practised as a lawyer on his own account in Kaikohe before returning to Auckland where he tutored at Auckland University and completed an LL.M with first class honours in criminal law, criminal behaviour and medico-legal issues. He practised law in Auckland from 1970 until he entered Parliament in 1977, after a by-election in the Auckland seat of Mangere. He represented Mangere until his retirement from politics.

In 1979 David Lange was elected deputy leader of the parliamentary Labour party. He became leader of the party, and Leader of the Opposition, in February 1983.

He became New Zealand's youngest prime minister this century in July 1984 when the fourth Labour government was elected with a 17-seat majority in the 95-member House of Representatives. The government undertook a radical restructuring of the country's economy.

On becoming prime minister, David Lange also became minister of foreign affairs. As minister of foreign affairs he had responsibility for the evolution of New Zealand's nuclear free policy and was responsible for the introduction of legislation confirming it in 1987.

The government was re-elected to office with an increased majority in August 1987. David Lange relinquished the foreign affairs portfolio and became minister of education. He introduced a thorough-going reform of education administration.

David Lange has traveled widely in Europe, Asia, Africa, North America and the Pacific. He has attended meetings of the Commonwealth heads of government, and the South Pacific Forum and has addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations. He addressed the General Assembly at its 40^th anniversary session in 1985, when he and Rajiv Gandhi were the only speakers from countries outside the permanent membership of the Security Council.

He resigned his office as prime minister and his cabinet responsibilities in August 1989. He was Attorney-General until the defeat of the Labour government in 1990.

David Lange was made a Companion of Honour in 1990.

He retired from Parliament at the general election of 1996