Robert Muldoon was the 31st Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1975 to 1984. His leadership was dotted with many interesting policies and incidents, but one of the most dramatic was the Springbok Tour protests of 1981.
Muldoon led the National party, and represented many older conservatives, many of whom lived in rural areas, and were often labelled as ‘Rob’s Mob.’ Muldoon sold himself as the politician who understood and represented ‘the ordinary bloke’ against the elites. He was therefore pro-tour, and believed that politics and sport should not be mixed. He resisted pressure to cancel the 1981 tour as the 1973 tour had been cancelled, and he was then accused of breaking the 1977 Gleneagles Agreement. However, Muldoon stated in an article in The Times that he had not, in fact, broken the Agreement, as:
"New Zealand and subsequently other countries made it clear that they could not subscribe to an agreement which required them to abrogate the freedoms of their sportsmen and prohibit sporting contacts."
This was interesting, as the Gleneagles Agreement had been unanimously accepted between the Commonwealth countries. This demonstrated Rob Muldoon’s conservative stance toward the Springbok tour, which was the attitude of many pro-tour New Zealanders at the time. Apartheid was none of New Zealand’s business – why should we have to give up our rugby because of international pressure?
Throughout 1981 Muldoon was firmly pro-tour, and argued that his decision not to ban the tour left it up to individual conscience whether to play sport with representatives of an apartheid state.
Muldoon and his actions (or lack of) toward the tour was a key factor as to why New Zealand was thrown into turmoil in 1981. The government left it up to the people’s consciences to decide whether or not to support the tour; a decision that meant many New Zealanders felt obliged to protest against supporting sporting contacts with an apartheid country.
It is debatable as to whether New Zealand would have been better off without the 1981 tour going ahead, but it is fairly certain that if Muldoon had had the foresight to cancel it, New Zealand would not have witnessed the acts of civil disobedience and protest that it did in 1981. For this reason, Muldoon was a key player and cause of the Springbok Tour protests in 1981.
Muldoon led the National party, and represented many older conservatives, many of whom lived in rural areas, and were often labelled as ‘Rob’s Mob.’ Muldoon sold himself as the politician who understood and represented ‘the ordinary bloke’ against the elites. He was therefore pro-tour, and believed that politics and sport should not be mixed. He resisted pressure to cancel the 1981 tour as the 1973 tour had been cancelled, and he was then accused of breaking the 1977 Gleneagles Agreement. However, Muldoon stated in an article in The Times that he had not, in fact, broken the Agreement, as:
"New Zealand and subsequently other countries made it clear that they could not subscribe to an agreement which required them to abrogate the freedoms of their sportsmen and prohibit sporting contacts."
This was interesting, as the Gleneagles Agreement had been unanimously accepted between the Commonwealth countries. This demonstrated Rob Muldoon’s conservative stance toward the Springbok tour, which was the attitude of many pro-tour New Zealanders at the time. Apartheid was none of New Zealand’s business – why should we have to give up our rugby because of international pressure?
Throughout 1981 Muldoon was firmly pro-tour, and argued that his decision not to ban the tour left it up to individual conscience whether to play sport with representatives of an apartheid state.
Muldoon and his actions (or lack of) toward the tour was a key factor as to why New Zealand was thrown into turmoil in 1981. The government left it up to the people’s consciences to decide whether or not to support the tour; a decision that meant many New Zealanders felt obliged to protest against supporting sporting contacts with an apartheid country.
It is debatable as to whether New Zealand would have been better off without the 1981 tour going ahead, but it is fairly certain that if Muldoon had had the foresight to cancel it, New Zealand would not have witnessed the acts of civil disobedience and protest that it did in 1981. For this reason, Muldoon was a key player and cause of the Springbok Tour protests in 1981.