Jim Bolger

The Right Honourable Jim Bolger ONZ
Bolger in 2018
35th Prime Minister of New Zealand
In office 2 November 1990 – 8 December 1997
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Deputy	Don McKinnon Winston Peters
Governor-General	Paul Reeves Catherine Tizard Michael Hardie Boys
Preceded by	Mike Moore
Succeeded by	Jenny Shipley
7th Leader of the National Party
In office 26 March 1986 – 8 December 1997
Deputy	George Gair Don McKinnon
Preceded by	Jim McLay
Succeeded by	Jenny Shipley
25th Leader of the Opposition
In office 26 March 1986 – 2 November 1990
Prime Minister	David Lange Geoffrey Palmer Mike Moore
Deputy	George Gair Don McKinnon
Preceded by	Jim McLay
Succeeded by	Mike Moore
27th Minister of Labour
In office 13 December 1978 – 26 July 1984
Prime Minister	Robert Muldoon
Preceded by	Peter Gordon
Succeeded by	Stan Rodger
39th Minister of Immigration
In office 13 December 1978 – 12 February 1981
Prime Minister	Robert Muldoon
Preceded by	Frank Gill
Succeeded by	Aussie Malcolm
1st Minister of Fisheries
In office 8 March 1977 – 13 December 1978
Prime Minister	Robert Muldoon
Succeeded by	Duncan MacIntyre
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for King Country Taranaki-King Country (1996–1998)
In office 25 November 1972 – 9 April 1998
Succeeded by	Shane Ardern
Personal details
Born	James Brendan Bolger (1935-05-31) 31 May 1935 (age 89) Ōpunake, New Zealand
Political party	National
Spouse	Joan Maureen Riddell ​ ​ (m. 1963)​
Children	9
Parents	Daniel Bolger Cecilia Doyle
Profession	Politician, businessman

James Brendan Bolger ONZ PC (/ˈbɒldʒər/ BOL-jər; born 31 May 1935), affectionately called The Great Helmsman, is a New Zealand retired politician of the National Party who was the 35th prime minister of New Zealand, serving from 1990 to 1997.

Bolger was born in Ōpunake, Taranaki, to Irish immigrants. Before entering politics, he farmed in Waikato, and was involved in Federated Farmers – a nationwide agricultural association. Bolger won election to Parliament in 1972, and subsequently served in several portfolios in the Third National Government. Following one unsuccessful bid for the party leadership in 1984, Bolger was elected as National Party leader in 1986. He served as Leader of the Opposition from 1986 to 1990.

Bolger led the National Party to a landslide victory—the largest in its history—in the 1990 election, allowing him to become prime minister on 2 November 1990. The Fourth National Government was elected on the promise of delivering a "Decent Society" following the previous Labour government's economic reforms, known as "Rogernomics", which Bolger criticised. However, shortly after taking office, his government was forced to bail out the Bank of New Zealand and as a result reneged on a number of promises made during the election campaign. Bolger's government essentially advanced the free-market reforms of the previous government, while implementing drastic cuts in public spending. National retained power in the 1993 election, albeit with a much-reduced majority.

Bolger's second term in office saw the introduction of the MMP electoral system. In the subsequent 1996 election National emerged as the largest party but it was forced to enter into a coalition with New Zealand First. Bolger continued as prime minister, however his critics argued that he gave the inexperienced NZ First too much influence in his Cabinet. On 8 December 1997, Bolger was effectively ousted as leader by his party caucus, and was replaced as prime minister by Jenny Shipley.

After resigning as a Member of Parliament in 1998, Bolger became Ambassador to the United States and remained in this post until 2002.