Robert Muldoon (National Government)
Robert Muldoon was the Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1975-1984 and was the leader of the National Party. He controversially allowed the All Blacks to tour South Africa in 1976 despite the United Nations call for no sporting contact with South Africa. He also violated the terms of the Gleneagles agreement when he and the NZRFU invited the Springboks to tour New Zealand in 1981.His justification for allowing the '81 tour to go ahead was that he believed 'sport and politics should not mix.' This belief allowed him to become the Prime Minister in1975 but was also his undoing as he was voted out in 1984.
Norman Kirk
Norman Kirk was the Prime Minister of New Zealand until 1972 until his shocking death in 1974. He was Robert Muldoons predecessor and was the leader of the Labour Party. initially Norman said he would not interfere with the upcoming tour of South Africa but when he got into power he tried unsuccessfully to have the 1973 Springbok tour cancelled. However he was able to postpone the tour which was an extremely controversial decision. he justified this by saying it was his duty as the leader of New Zealand to do what he thought was right.
cEcil Albert bLAZEY (NZRFU)
Cecil Blazey was the New Zealand Rugby Football Union (N.Z.R.F.U) chairman and spokesman during the controversial 1981 Springbok Tour. He firmly believed that politics had no place in sports and was influential in the N.Z.R.F.U's decision to invite the Springboks to New Zealand and go ahead with the tour.
JOHN Minto
John Minto was the national chairperson of H.A.R.T (Halt All Racist Tours) and was apart of many protests throughout New Zealand. Minto was known to 'get amongst it' he would be the leading man of many protests, one of which he was seriously beaten by a cop in Hamilton. After this incident people began calling the batons the police were using 'Minto bars.' John is still an active campaigner and continues to be the leader of many protests today.
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H.A.R.T (HALT ALL RACIST TOURS)
Halt All Racist Tours (H.A.R.T) was a protest group founded in 1969 by John Minto, Trevor Richards and Tom Newnham originally to combat the 1970 All Black tour of Soith Africa. however, after that event H.A.R.T continued to demonstrate against sporting contact with South Africa including the 1981 Springbok Tour. H.A.R.T had a major role in organising protests against apartheid and in 1980 merged with the National Anti Apartheid Council to become H.A.R.T.N.A.A.C which created are more unified response towards sporting contact with South Africa.
the new zealand police force
The New Zealand Police Force were not for or against the 1981 Springbok Tour. They could not express their own opinions and were ordered to shut down protest action by the pro-tour Mulddon led government. However, they played a big role in the 1981 Springbok Tour and were the reason why violence escalated because of the use of their batons. The image of the New Zealand Police was tarnished throughout the tour because of the brutal tactics employed to stop protest demonstrations, they bloodied and beat men and women with their batons. The police were the only force that stood between the anti-tour protesters and the cancellation of test matches that would have ended the tour.