By KEVIN TAYLOR, political reporter
Cartoonists portrayed Richard Prebble as a "mad dog" because of his ruthless reforming zeal during the Fourth Labour Government's reforms of the 1980s.
But his resignation as leader of Act yesterday is being called the end of an era.
He was the central figure in turning loss-making entities
such as NZ Rail into efficient state-owned enterprises during that era.
He was also a leading figure in the sale of major assets, including Telecom, Air New Zealand and Postbank.
But the pain of the restructuring, which cost thousands of workers their jobs, brought him lasting unpopularity.
It was ironic, therefore, that after announcing his resignation he should list the restructuring of SOEs as one of his major achievements. His other was getting Act into Parliament.
Mr Prebble is the last of the group of senior ministers who pushed the policies of Rogernomics.
The others in that group - David Lange, Sir Geoffrey Palmer, Mike Moore and David Caygill - are long gone from the political scene.
Sir Roger, who founded Act - the Association of Consumers and Taxpayers - said he hoped Mr Prebble would stay on after next year's election.
"I would see him as a critical part of any centre-right government," he said.
"He's got an enormous amount of experience and he would have an enormous contribution to make."
Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson said Mr Prebble was not an enemy of workers, but was indifferent to them.
"I would say he was there to progress the interests of business and the already-rich. He has no concern about distribution or any regard for social or community or family cohesion."
Yesterday was clearly emotional for Mr Prebble, but he told the Herald his decision to go was not made suddenly.
He had been thinking of going since last year, and made up his mind on a recent holiday to the Solomon Islands.
"I think the thing that probably clinched it for me is that I think we are going to have a change of government and that I would find myself committed for perhaps a decade," he said.
"That's not part of the deal I made with my family."
Mr Prebble said he was "leaning towards" not standing at the next election. And he hinted that he might go before then.
He said nobody had successfully continued as an elder statesman in Parliament after being a party leader.
"I've been in Parliament since [former National prime minister Sir Keith] Holyoake, and Holyoake told me the only way he was able to do it was by saying nothing.
"Well, being in Parliament and saying nothing, that is not Richard Prebble."
Political historian Michael Bassett was a Cabinet minister with Mr Prebble, and said he was a very effective parliamentarian who had ultimately become a victim of the success of new National Party leader Don Brash and his rise in the polls.
Mr Prebble said being part of the Fourth Labour Government had been a "wonderful opportunity".
"I don't believe most people realise how close New Zealand came to being another Argentina, and that government turned it around."
Mr Prebble said he would like to be remembered as a politician who used Parliament the way it was supposed to be used - to speak out fearlessly on issues.
"I have been, on occasions in my political career, alone in Parliament in making a statement.
"Sometimes in retrospect I think I was wrong, but in quite a number of them I think history's shown I was correct."
Mr Prebble's profile on Act's website lauds him as the "most active politician in New Zealand today", a "man of action" and somebody unafraid to do the "hard tasks".
Few could disagree with the last contention.
Richard Prebble
* Aged 56, married to Doreen.
* Graduated from Auckland University with a bachelor of arts and an honours law degree.
* Elected to Parliament in 1975.
* A key minister in the reforming Fourth Labour Government, and one of its prime architects of economic deregulation, overseeing the corporatisation and sale of Government entities.
* Dismissed from Cabinet in 1988, but re-elected in January 1990. Lost Auckland Central in 1993 to the Alliance's Sandra Lee.
* Joined Sir Roger Douglas' Act Party in 1994 and became leader. Elected Wellington Central MP for Act in 1996. Lost the seat in 1999.
By KEVIN TAYLOR, political reporter
Cartoonists portrayed Richard Prebble as a "mad dog" because of his ruthless reforming zeal during the Fourth Labour Government's reforms of the 1980s.
But his resignation as leader of Act yesterday is being called the end of an era.
He was the central figure in turning loss-making entities
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