Bill Rowling

Sir Bill Rowling
Rowling in 1974
30th Prime Minister of New Zealand
In office
6 September 1974 – 12 December 1975
MonarchElizabeth II
Governor‑GeneralDenis Blundell
DeputyBob Tizard
Preceded byNorman Kirk
Succeeded byRobert Muldoon
22nd Leader of the Opposition
In office
12 December 1975 – 3 February 1983
DeputyBob Tizard
David Lange
Preceded byRobert Muldoon
Succeeded byDavid Lange
8th Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party
In office
6 September 1974 – 3 February 1983
DeputyBob Tizard
David Lange
Preceded byNorman Kirk
Succeeded byDavid Lange
17th Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
6 September 1974 – 12 December 1975
Prime MinisterHimself
Preceded byNorman Kirk
Succeeded byBrian Talboys
33rd Minister of Finance
In office
8 December 1972 – 6 September 1974
Prime MinisterNorman Kirk
Preceded byRobert Muldoon
Succeeded byBob Tizard
11th Minister of Statistics
In office
8 December 1972 – 6 September 1974
Prime MinisterNorman Kirk
Preceded byRobert Muldoon
Succeeded byMick Connelly
22nd President of the Labour Party
In office
5 May 1970 – 8 May 1973
Preceded byNorman Douglas
Succeeded byCharles Bennett
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Tasman
Buller (1962–1972)
In office
7 July 1962 – 14 July 1984
Preceded byJerry Skinner
Succeeded byKen Shirley
Personal details
Born(1927-11-15)15 November 1927
Motueka, New Zealand
Died31 October 1995(1995-10-31) (aged 67)
Nelson, New Zealand
Political partyLabour
Spouse
Glen Elna Reeves
(m. 1951)
Children5
Alma materUniversity of Canterbury
Signature
Military service
AllegianceNew Zealand Army
Years of service1956–61
Rank Captain
Battles/warsMalayan Emergency

Sir Wallace Edward Rowling KCMG PC (/ˈrlɪŋ/; 15 November 1927 – 31 October 1995), commonly known as Bill Rowling, was a New Zealand politician who was the 30th prime minister of New Zealand from 1974 to 1975. He held office as the leader of the Labour Party.

Before entering politics, Rowling worked as a teacher and briefly served in the army; he became a member of Parliament (MP) in the 1962 Buller by-election. Not long after entering parliament Rowling began to rise through Labour's internal hierarchy, and he was Party President from 1970 to 1973. He was serving as Minister of Finance (1972–1974) when he was appointed prime minister following the death of the highly popular Norman Kirk. His Labour Government's effort to retrieve the economy ended with an upset victory by the National Party in November 1975. Rowling continued to lead the Labour Party but lost two more general elections. Upon retiring from the party's leadership in 1983, he was knighted. He served as Ambassador to the United States from 1985 to 1988.