# Bill Rowling

_Prime Minister of New Zealand, politician, teacher (1927-1995)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/bill-rowling
Last updated: 2026-11-02

> Sir Wallace Edward "Bill" Rowling was a New Zealand politician who was the 30th prime minister of New Zealand from 1974 to 1975. He held office as the leader of the Labour Party.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 15 November 1927 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q862430#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Motueka ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q862430#P19))
- **Died:** 31 October 1995 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q862430#P570))
- **Place of death:** Nelson ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q862430#P20))
- **Citizenship:** New Zealand ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q862430#P27))
- **Occupation:** politician; diplomat ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q862430#P106))
- **Political party:** New Zealand Labour Party ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q862430#P102))
- **Education:** University of Canterbury; Nelson College ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q862430#P69))
- **Spouse:** Glen Rowling ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q862430#P26))
- **Positions held:** Leader of the Opposition (12 December 1975 – 3 February 1983); Prime Minister of New Zealand (6 September 1974 – 12 December 1975); Minister of Foreign Affairs (6 September 1974 – 12 December 1975); Minister of Finance (8 December 1972 – 6 September 1974); Member of the New Zealand Parliament (1962–1972); Member of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom; ambassador ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q862430#P39))
- **Awards:** Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George; Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal; New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal; Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau; honorary doctor of the University of Canterbury ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q862430#P166))

## Questions

**When was Bill Rowling born?**  
Bill Rowling was born on 15 November 1927 in Motueka.

**What positions has Bill Rowling held?**  
Positions held by Bill Rowling include: Leader of the Opposition (1975–1983); Prime Minister of New Zealand (1974–1975); Minister of Foreign Affairs (1974–1975); Minister of Finance (1972–1974); Member of the New Zealand Parliament (1962–1972).

**Where did Bill Rowling study?**  
Bill Rowling was educated at University of Canterbury, Nelson College.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Bill Rowling](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Rowling) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q862430](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q862430) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Bill Rowling, 1974 (crop).jpg by Archives New Zealand (CC BY 2.0)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bill_Rowling,_1974_(crop).jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Bill Rowling, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Bill Rowling, 1974 (crop).jpg — Archives New Zealand, CC BY 2.0.

## Cite this page

"Bill Rowling". DigiNepal. Last updated 2 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/bill-rowling. Retrieved 14 November 2026.