New Book on Prime Ministers since Muldoon is Engaging

 Reviewed by Tony Orman

Southland born journalist Barry Soper is no doubt well known to many. His gravelly voice, tinged with humour sometimes erupting into a gleeful (or is it cynical ?) –  laugh, is well known to listeners of ZB Talkback radio as the station’s senior political correspondent. Before that he served on TVNZ and previously with  the tabloid “New Zealand Truth”, “Waikato Times” , “Southland Times” and others. I’ve always enjoyed the author’s style and political insights.

From 1980, Barry Soper was based in the parliamentary press gallery, giving him close, unique observations of the ways and wiles of politicians and prime ministers.

 “One Last Question, Prime Minister” is memories of those prime ministers – Rob Muldoon, David Lange, Geoffrey Palmer, Mike Moore, Jim Bolger, Jenny Shipley, Helen Clark, John Key, Bill English, Jacinda Ardern, Chris Hopkins and current PM Christopher Luxon.

In recalling memories individually of the prime ministers, the author gives some interesting and at times intriguing insights into the individuals, their hallmarks – and their foibles. Of course bear in mind, that New Zealand’s strict libel laws inhibit probing too deeply. So perhaps at times, read between the lines – so as to speak.

Barry Soper writes that politics “is a punishing game with every move they make or should have made – open to public scrutiny.” He dares to rank them and puts Helen Clark as the highest. “She had a formidable intellect, was fiercely competent and became the no-nonsense leader the country needed. She had a hard shell, no doubt, but I got to know a softer Clark and had a lot of time for her. I still do.”

John Key slots in as runner-up, yet “not far behind”, while  perhaps surprisingly to some, Jacinda Ardern is regarded as “the weakest of our significant MPs -but she was ineffective and the second term of her government was notable only for the fact the Labour Party completely botched the unprecedented mandate they had been handed by the electorate. That was a tragedy.”

His assessment of Jim Bolger is “a solid guy, underrated by many-a steady hand on the tiller over the seven years he was in charge” and Rob Muldoon and David Lange – “in contrasting ways, larger-than-life characters.”

Lange was “a brilliant debater-a showman”.

In the late 1980s the 4th Labour government death throes were characterised by clashes between PM David Lange and Finance Minister Roger Douglas. In the ensuing months, Geoffrey Palmer  became PM for a few short months – “intelligent, down to earth, and a thoroughly decent human being but probably never cut out to be PM.”

Also in the same category was Mike Moore who comes across as somewhat insecure, “a contradiction (while) a mighty figure in the Labour Party (but) a relatively insignificant PM.”

Jenny Shipley had a lot of good qualities but was “bland” and “never a great political scholar.”

Bill English is classed as “a political craftsman who earned respect across party lines.” Certainly in my opinion he was given in rugby terms “a hospital pass” by PM John Key abrupt resignation with election year nigh. 

 But then the same might be said about PM Jacinda Ardern’s sudden stepping down to leave Chris Hipkins holding the proverbial squawking baby on the virtual eve of an election, just several months away. For me it was bad form by both Key and Ardern.

Mentioning Jacinda Ardern, she doesn’t get a good rating. The first paragraph of the Ardern chapter says “The thing about Jacinda Ardern is that she was -the accidental Prime Minister who rightly suffered from imposter syndrome.” Early in her career she struggled even to win an electorate seat. But somewhat mysteriously, Jacinda Ardern replaced retiring Labour leader Andrew Little. “The projection of power and attention on the day she took over from Little was quite extraordinary,” writes Barry Soper. “Jacindamania took off.”

However, later the author concluded “she (Jacinda) was by far, the biggest manipulator of the media.” Barry Soper felt  targeted by avoidance because by his own admission, he did ask hard, uncomfortable questions.

Despite some strengths in the “X factor” area, the author concludes Jacinda Ardern lacked the “intellectual capacity to understand what she was actually doing-I don’t think she was suited to or capable of being Prime Minister.” That may well  astonish many. The rest of the author’s analysis of the polarising figure of Jacinda Ardern is for the reader of the book, which I urge any thinking Kiwi to become.

 The final two chapters deal with Chris Hipkins and Christopher Luxon, the respective leaders of Labour and National. With an election looming in November, these two chapters are significant – no further details – read for yourself.

Contained in the book are politicians other than prime ministers   such as Winston Peters – “the most consummate politician”, Trevor de Cleene – “a brilliant man”, Bill Rowling  – “a very human sort of guy”, Roger Douglas, Bill Birch nicknamed among other monickers “The Knife” because of his sharpness. Quite a few MPs feature as is to be expected. 

You may not agree with some of Barry Sipper’s assessments of PM’s since Muldoon. I have some divergence of opinion about John Key who I regard as flippant, frivolous, perhaps furtive and cunning and not deserving of a knighthood. Key’s economic management left much to be desired as accomplished journalist Graham Adams exposed in a :”North South” article. That’s okay, acceptable and to be expected. Similarly I didn’t rank Jim Bolger highly. But then the author was there and  I was on the sideline as a voting pleb. Barry Soper’s book is an extremely absorbing read.

Photographs feature a colour section and black and white photos of each relevant prime minister with each chapter.

As a parliamentary press gallery journalist Barry Soper rubbed shoulders with the prime ministers outside of the House and also accompanying them on overseas trips. Consequently there’s some intimate recollections from the hotel bars, back rooms and hallways outside of the debating chamber.

With an election imminent, “One Last Question, Prime Minister” is a timely publication and is a damn good entertaining and intriguing read. 

But oh for those libel laws, it might have been even more revealing. Strongly recommended.

Editor’s note:-It’s election year and CORANZ as an advocacy has never shied away from politics. Politics is involved in the battles to maintain the environment, to safeguard our fisheries, rivers, wilderness lands etc., In the end, politicians make the decisions. “Politics is simply cause and effect.”

Book Review “One Last Question, Prime Minister” by Barry Soper. Subtitle “From Muldoon to Luxon – untold stories from the House of Parliament”, published by Harper Collins, Price $39.99. Reviewed by Tony Orman. Due for release 28 April, 2026.

Tony Orman is not a member of any of the political parties in parliament and ever since Rogernomics has become a “carefree swinging voter”.