By John Armstrong
political editor
Labour has been dealt an early blow in election year with the sudden death of its president, Michael Hirschfeld, one of the party's principal fundraisers.
The millionaire Wellington businessman, benefactor and prominent member of the Jewish community died yesterday of natural causes.
The cause of death was not released, but the 54-year-old long-time Labour activist suffered a mild heart attack last year and had been undergoing daily dialysis treatment for some years while awaiting a kidney transplant.
Married with three children, Mr Hirschfeld joined Labour in the 1960s and was elected to the party's executive in 1971. His involvement in the party hierarchy subsequently lapsed until he was shoulder-tapped to stand for president in 1995.
His election was seen as a boost to Labour's fundraising activities in a suspicious corporate sector and a break from the image of political correctness that dogged the party in the early 1990s.
Last year's National Business Review rich list put his personal worth at $20 million, a figure he did not dispute in a subsequent North & South article. He was long ago dubbed a "Wadestown socialist," a reference to the well-heeled Wellington suburb in which he lived.
From one of Wellington's premier Jewish families and educated at Victoria University, Mr Hirschfeld briefly lived in Israel before returning home to join the family company Mico Wakefield, a plumbing, stainless steel and aluminium supplies business. The company was sold to Australian interests in 1994 for an undisclosed price.
As party president, he maintained a low public profile, preferring to concentrate on building Labour unity while mediating behind the scenes between the party's sometimes fractious left and right factions.
A key figure in Labour's election planning, he was also instrumental in helping terminate what he called the "internecine war" with the Alliance, which ended to both parties' advantage with the stark symbolism of Labour leader Helen Clark addressing the Alliance conference last year.
His funeral will be held on Friday, possibly with a ceremony in Parliament's Grand Hall, although details have yet to be confirmed.
Helen Clark is overseas. Her deputy and the party's acting leader, Michael Cullen, said Mr Hirschfeld had made an outstanding contribution to the party and his enthusiasm, commitment and drive would be sorely missed.
The Act leader and former Labour cabinet minister, Richard Prebble, who was a long-time friend and who appointed him chairman of the Shipping Corporation in the 1980s, said Mr Hirschfeld had been one of Labour's most successful presidents.
"As a successful businessman, he was able to bring to Labour a commercial reality. Any party would find him difficult to replace."
The Prime Minister, Jenny Shipley, said Mr Hirschfeld's commitment to both Labour and New Zealand would be greatly missed. Alliance leader Jim Anderson paid tribute to his honesty, integrity and decency. The New Zealand First president, Doug Woolerton, also said he had found Mr Hirschfeld to be an honest and up-front person who always played it straight.
* Labour Party rules specify that a postal ballot for the presidency be held within about 21/2 months if the position becomes vacant and there is more than one nomination for the post. Party officials will want the new president installed well before Labour's pre-election conference in May. In the meantime, the president's duties will be handled by the party's senior vice-president, Terry Scott.
Pictured: Michael Hirschfeld
Death robs Labour of `diplomat'
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