New Zealand Writers

BASSETT, Michael

He provides clear explanations of the sometimes complex issues, often drawing on his own familiarity with the pressures and pleasures of political life.

BASSETT, Michael (1938 - ) is an historian, politician and teacher. He was educated at Owairaka Primary School, Dilworth School and Mt Albert Grammar School; he took his MA from the University of Auckland in 1961 and his PhD from Duke University in 1964.

Dr Bassett has been a teacher since the 1960s, holding a variety of posts including lecturer, later senior lecturer, in history at the University of Auckland (1964-72) and the J. B. Smallman Professorship at the University of Western Ontario 1992-96 . He has lectured in Medical Humanities at the Auckland Medical School and since 1994 has been a member of the Waitangi Tribunal.

Dr Bassett has also had a distinguished political career both at the local and national levels. He was a member of the Auckland City Council from 1971-1974. He served as the Labour MP for Waitemata 1972-75 and then as the Labour MP for Te Atatu from 1978 until he retired from politics in 1990. He held various cabinet posts during his terms in Parliament including Minister of Health 1984-87; Minister of Local Government 1984-90; Minister of Internal Affairs, Minister of Civil Defence and Minister of Arts and Culture 1987-90.

Dr Bassett has been a chair of the Lotteries Board and of the 1990 Commission.

His publications include: Depression of the Thirties (1967), Confrontation '51: The 1951 Waterfront Dispute (1972), The Third Labour Government (1976), Getting Together Again (1979), Three Party Politics 1911-31 (1982), Sir Josepb Ward (1993) and Coates of Kaipara (1995), The Motber of all Departments (1997) and The State in New Zealand (1998). His biography of Peter Fraser, written with Michael King, is Tomorrow Comes the Song (2001).

Updated Information

In 2002 Bassett was Fulbright Professor of New Zealand Studies at Georgetown University in Washington DC. He is a regular commentator for the Dominion Post newspaper.