WELLINGTON: Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jim Bolger has died at the age of 90, his family confirmed in a statement.
Bolger served as the country’s prime minister from 1990 to 1997 and was a key figure in advancing reconciliation with indigenous Maori.
He passed away on Wednesday surrounded by his wife Joan, their nine children, and 18 grandchildren.
The former leader had been undergoing dialysis after suffering kidney failure last year.
Bolger entered parliament in 1972 and became National Party leader in 1986 before leading the party to victory in the 1990 election.
He retired from politics in 1998 and later served as New Zealand’s ambassador to the United States until 2002.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon described Bolger as a principled and formidable colleague and a worthy adversary.
Bolger’s government introduced the Mixed Member Proportional electoral system which remains in use today.
His administration also concluded the first major settlements between the government and Maori tribes for colonial impacts.
Waikato Tainui chair Tukoroirangi Morgan said Bolger leaves an unsurpassed legacy in the settlement space.
Morgan credited Bolger with modernising the reconciliation process to reflect a more contemporary national reality.
Bolger was a committed republican who advocated for New Zealand to become a republic separate from Britain.
He declined a knighthood after leaving politics and was instead made a member of the Order of New Zealand. – Reuters
