The Rt Hon Sir Keith Jacka Holyoake, KG, GCMG, CH, QSO

Governor-General of New Zealand

1977 - 1980

Sir Keith was born in 1904 and educated in Tauranga, Hastings and Motueka.

He became a National Party MP in 1932 and rose to Deputy Leader of the Opposition in 1947. He became a cabinet minister in 1949 and was appointed Deputy Prime Minister before serving briefly as Prime Minister in 1957, when Sidney Holland resigned.

Subsequently he was Leader of the Opposition but once again became Prime Minister in 1960, holding the position until 1972.

Sir Keith was knighted in 1970. He was the first politician to be appointed Governor-General. In 1980, the year he retired, he was appointed a Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter, the first New Zealander so honoured for New Zealand services.

Sir Keith died in 1983.

Biographical information courtesy of NZ Almanack

Visit the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography for more information