the late Rt. Hon. David Lange (tribute)
The son of a doctor, David Lange was born in 1942 in Otahuhu, where he grew up attending local schools. David was brought up in a Christian home and identified as a Methodist. He paid his way through his law degree at the University of Auckland by working at a meat-freezing works before practising law in Northland and Mangere. He had four children from two marriages.
David entered the New Zealand Parliament as the MP for Mangere in 1977 and rose rapidly to become leader of the Labour Party in 1983. In the 1984 snap-election, David became the 32nd Prime Minister of New Zealand as part of the Labour government. Known for his wit and humour, he is also remembered for championing New Zealand's nuclear free policy. After his time as Prime Minister he became the 26th Attorney General. David wrote two memoirs 'Nuclear free: the New Zealand way' (1990) and 'My life' (2005).