Geoffrey Palmer (politician)

Sir Geoffrey Palmer
Palmer in 2020
33rd Prime Minister of New Zealand
In office
8 August 1989 – 4 September 1990
MonarchElizabeth II
Governor‑GeneralPaul Reeves
DeputyHelen Clark
Preceded byDavid Lange
Succeeded byMike Moore
10th Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party
In office
8 August 1989 – 4 September 1990
DeputyHelen Clark
Preceded byDavid Lange
Succeeded byMike Moore
10th Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand
In office
26 July 1984 – 8 August 1989
Prime MinisterDavid Lange
Preceded byJim McLay
Succeeded byHelen Clark
26th Attorney-General
In office
26 July 1984 – 4 August 1989
Prime MinisterDavid Lange
Preceded byJim McLay
Succeeded byDavid Lange
39th Minister of Justice
In office
26 July 1984 – 8 August 1989
Prime MinisterDavid Lange
Preceded byJim McLay
Succeeded byBill Jeffries
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Christchurch Central
In office
18 August 1979 – 27 October 1990
Preceded byBruce Barclay
Succeeded byLianne Dalziel
Personal details
Born
Geoffrey Winston Russell Palmer

(1942-04-21) 21 April 1942 (age 82)
Nelson, New Zealand
Political partyLabour
Spouse
Margaret Hinchcliff
(m. 1963)
Children2, including Matthew Palmer
EducationVictoria University of Wellington
University of Chicago Law School
OccupationLaw professor
Signature

Sir Geoffrey Winston Russell Palmer KCMG AC KC PC (born 21 April 1942) is a New Zealand lawyer and former politician who was a member of Parliament from 1979 to 1990. He served as the 33rd prime minister of New Zealand for a little over a year, from August 1989 until September 1990, leading the Fourth Labour Government. As minister of justice from 1984 to 1989, Palmer was responsible for considerable reforms of the country's legal and constitutional framework, such as the creation of the Constitution Act 1986, New Zealand Bill of Rights, Imperial Laws Application Act, and the State Sector Act. He served as president of the New Zealand Law Commission, from 2005 to 2010.