For Want of a Retirement

In OTL, the Fourth Labour Government of New Zealand spearheaded huge economic reforms aclled Rogernomics, led by Finance Minister Roger Douglas. However, Dougals nearly retired from politics in 1981, before reforms were enacted? What if he did?

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It was 1984, and David Lange's Labour Party had just been elected to the government of New Zealand. The next few years were mostly characterised by social clashes and the battle between Lange and the big powers such as America over New Zealand's new nuclear-free status. However, Lange's Finance Minister Stan Rodger also pushed through some economic reforms, but ignored suggestions from Treasury for huge structural reforms. The result was Labour was re-elected in a landslide in 1987.

Rodger and Lange focused on their social agenda in their second term, improving education and the welfare system. However, recession set in, and labour was returned with a much-reduced majority at the next election. Lange resigned in 1991, and in 1993, Labour, which had gotten the rare honour of three-terms in office, was deposed, with the right-wing National Party's Don McKinnon becoming Prime Minister.