# Keith Holyoake

_Viceroy, Prime Minister of New Zealand, politician (1904-1983)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/keith-holyoake
Last updated: 2026-11-04

> Sir Keith Jacka Holyoake was a New Zealand politician who served as the 26th prime minister of New Zealand, serving for a brief period in 1957 and then from 1960 to 1972, and also as the 13th governor-general of New Zealand, serving from 1977 to 1980. He is the only New Zealand politician to have held both positions.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 11 February 1904 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q637012#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Pahiatua ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q637012#P19))
- **Died:** 8 December 1983 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q637012#P570))
- **Place of death:** Wellington ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q637012#P20))
- **Citizenship:** New Zealand ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q637012#P27))
- **Occupation:** politician; diplomat; farmer ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q637012#P106))
- **Political party:** New Zealand Reform Party; New Zealand National Party ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q637012#P102))
- **Spouse:** Norma Holyoake ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q637012#P26))
- **Positions held:** Governor-General of New Zealand (26 October 1977 – 25 October 1980); Prime Minister of New Zealand (12 December 1960 – 7 February 1972); Minister of Foreign Affairs (12 December 1960 – 8 December 1972); Minister for Māori Development (26 September 1957 – 12 December 1957); Prime Minister of New Zealand (20 September 1957 – 12 December 1957); Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand (13 November 1954 – 20 September 1957); Minister of Agriculture (13 December 1949 – 26 September 1957); Member of the New Zealand Parliament (1932–1938); Member of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q637012#P39))
- **Awards:** Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George; Order of the Garter; Companion of Honour; Companion of the Queen's Service Order; Order of Saint John; honorary doctor of Victoria University of Wellington ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q637012#P166))

## Questions

**When was Keith Holyoake born?**  
Keith Holyoake was born on 11 February 1904 in Pahiatua.

**What positions has Keith Holyoake held?**  
Positions held by Keith Holyoake include: Governor-General of New Zealand (1977–1980); Prime Minister of New Zealand (1960–1972); Minister of Foreign Affairs (1960–1972); Minister for Māori Development (1957–1957); Prime Minister of New Zealand (1957–1957).

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Keith Holyoake](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Holyoake) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q637012](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q637012) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Statue of Keith Holyoake, Wellington, 2016-01-25.jpg by Szilas (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Statue_of_Keith_Holyoake,_Wellington,_2016-01-25.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Keith Holyoake, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Statue of Keith Holyoake, Wellington, 2016-01-25.jpg — Szilas, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"Keith Holyoake". DigiNepal. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/keith-holyoake. Retrieved 6 November 2026.