'Lamb burgers for dinner tonight': Kiwis pay tribute to former prime minister Mike Moore

Mike Moore, then NZ's ambassador to the United States, triying out a new lamb burger at McDonald's Greenlane in 2012. Photo / Natalie Slade

New Zealanders are today mourning the loss of former prime minister Mike Moore, a champion of free trade who many remember as a "top bloke" and "one of the great New Zealanders".

Some Kiwis will tonight have lamb burgers for dinner, as a token gesture of tribute to honour the late prime minister, who came up with the idea of the lamb patties.

He copped much flak for his idea back when he was a trade minister in the 1980s, when he said lamb burgers could be a way for New Zealand to diversify its lamb exports.

At the time, Robert Muldoon labelled him "Chutney Mike".

Mike Moore, then NZ's ambassador to the United States, triying out a new lamb burger at McDonald's Greenlane in 2012. Photo / Natalie Slade

Today, the lamb burger is a reality and many will think of Moore as they bite into one.

New Zealanders have taken to social media to pay tribute to Moore, and, for many, lamb burger is what's for dinner tonight.

You were a top bloke Mike, a man in the classic Labour tradition who never forgot where you came from. I’ll listen to some Joan and eat a lamb burger in your memory.

— Jonathan Mosen (@JonathanMosen) February 1, 2020

Shame. I thought he was older. He always had those panda eyes that seemed to betoken poor kidneys. But he was fun- I'll never forget the lamb burger tho it never got onto McDonald's menu. He fought for our trade in difficult times. He was a free market man & that's still NZ's way https://t.co/m8wdKaDKHz

— rob allan (@allanrob9) February 1, 2020

Mike Moore story.

When Mike Moore was Leader of the Opposition, and I was about the most junior political reporter in history, Bill Ralston dealt with the Government (for TV3) and (to give me purpose & a mission) assigned me the fractured and demoralised Labour Party.

So, I...

— John Campbell (@JohnJCampbell) February 1, 2020

So I've decided that tonight I'm having lamb burgers to mark the passing of Mike Moore. So the question is should I go minced lamb old school pattie or pulled lamb?

— Shawn (@swampy_kiwi) February 1, 2020

RIP Mike Moore. Down a lamb burger today as a tribute

— Sports Freak (@Sportsfreakconz) February 1, 2020

Lamb-burgers are a great example of added-value rather than just exporting NZ raw product for someone else to make most of the money from. Thanks, Mike Moore

— Sacha Dylan (@SachaDylan) February 1, 2020

RIP Mike Moore. One of the better blokes to have graced our Parliament.
Will have a lamb burger in his memory

— AdMan (@KiwiMoet) February 1, 2020

The Lamb Burger has left the building

— Andrew Paul Wood🤔😒 (@AndrewPaulWood) February 1, 2020

Moore died earlier today, at home in Auckland, aged 71.

Moore, who was the country's 34th prime minister, suffered a stroke in 2015 when he was New Zealand's ambassador in Washington DC and had been in declining health in recent years.