Rob Talbot, a former Cabinet minister who oversaw an unexpected sea change in the use of Maori language in the public service, has died in Wellington, aged 89.
Talbot entered Parliament in 1966 and represented Ashburton and South Canterbury electorates for more than 20 years before his retirement in 1987. As Postmaster-General, he signed off NZ's first cellular network in 1983.
He was also famously embroiled in a Te Reo controversy in the mid-80s after Auckland toll operator Naida Glavish was barred from greeting callers with "kia ora". When Glavish continued, she was demoted, sparking a public backlash.
Talbot refused to publicly support her until Prime Minister Rob Muldoon returned to the country and sanctioned the unscripted Te Reo greeting.
Yesterday Glavish, who has since forged a career in public service, was sad to learn of his death.