Kōrero: Labour Party

This 1969 photo shows Labour leader Norman Kirk embracing two veteran women MPs, Iriaka Rātana (left) and Mabel Howard (right). Both women, and their colleague Robert Macfarlane (far right) were retiring after long parliamentary careers. Rātana became the first Māori woman MP by winning the seat of Western Māori in 1949. Howard first entered Parliament in 1943 as MP for Christchurch East. She later served as minister of health and in other cabinet posts.