Short Term Effects:
As the 1981 Springbok Tour and the protest movements surrounding it created a division of opinion in New Zealand, it fuelled major debates not only politically but also socially, turning family members against one another. This is why it was regarded as one of the major turning points in New Zealand history. Regardless of being pro or anti-tour, everyone had an opinion which they wanted to express making the country more unstable and violent in comparison to “Pre Tour Movement” New Zealand. It was almost like the country shed its ‘innocence’ and was exposed to the big bad world of conflict resulting in an explosive period of time.
It could be argued the pro-tour movement ‘won’ as the ’81 Tour did progress resulting in only two cancelled games and the apartheid system in South Africa was not abolished until 1990. However, one of the major short term effects was that after the riots and protests which took place all over the country in 1981, no more Springbok Tours took place until the end of the apartheid system in South Africa in 1990.
As most protest groups were primarily focused on ending the 1981 Tour, when no more tours were scheduled, they no longer had a “cause” to protest about. Thus the protest movement in New Zealand did diminish in the following years. This resulted in a more peaceful New Zealand, not without conflict but without the violence witnessed during 1981 used to sort out conflict. This is not to say that the short period of about 2 months of intense protest just disappeared, it in fact rooted in New Zealanders enough doubts about issues in our own country to make a difference in the years to come.
Politically, Muldoon’s National Government won with only a narrow victory in the 1981 general election. However in 1984, the Labour Government proved victorious and this change of government set off the start of huge long term changes in New Zealand in the following years.
Long Term Effects:
In the years following the election of a Labour Government in 1984, nuclear-free legislation and the homosexual law reform were both introduced to New Zealand. These were important social and political changes in New Zealand as they centred on what could be described as the identity of New Zealand as a society and nation. Thus, the change in government as a result of the 1981 Springbok Tour inadvertently resulted in major social and political changes in New Zealand.
Although the anti-apartheid movement in New Zealand was centred on the racism in South Africa, it forced New Zealanders to realise that the indigenous peoples, Maori, were also unfairly treated in their own society. After taking this into consideration, Pakeha began to attempt to rectify this and push or equality in New Zealand. As said by John Minto “I think the most important impact of the tour in New Zealand was to stimulate the whole debate about racism and about the place of Maori in our community” (6) which sums up exactly what happened.
Even though the Springbok Tour Protest Movement did not immediately affect society in South Africa, John Minto thinks that, “In South Africa the tour helped to bring, I think, a quicker end to the apartheid regime, along with all the other pressures from all around the world” (6). This could be true because 9 years later in February 1990, Nelson Mandela was freed from prison and inaugurated as the “first democratically elected state president of South Africa on 10 May 1994… In this respect, the tour represented New Zealand's contribution towards a major international event …. and an indefinite change in South African society” (8).
As the 1981 Springbok Tour and the protest movements surrounding it created a division of opinion in New Zealand, it fuelled major debates not only politically but also socially, turning family members against one another. This is why it was regarded as one of the major turning points in New Zealand history. Regardless of being pro or anti-tour, everyone had an opinion which they wanted to express making the country more unstable and violent in comparison to “Pre Tour Movement” New Zealand. It was almost like the country shed its ‘innocence’ and was exposed to the big bad world of conflict resulting in an explosive period of time.
It could be argued the pro-tour movement ‘won’ as the ’81 Tour did progress resulting in only two cancelled games and the apartheid system in South Africa was not abolished until 1990. However, one of the major short term effects was that after the riots and protests which took place all over the country in 1981, no more Springbok Tours took place until the end of the apartheid system in South Africa in 1990.
As most protest groups were primarily focused on ending the 1981 Tour, when no more tours were scheduled, they no longer had a “cause” to protest about. Thus the protest movement in New Zealand did diminish in the following years. This resulted in a more peaceful New Zealand, not without conflict but without the violence witnessed during 1981 used to sort out conflict. This is not to say that the short period of about 2 months of intense protest just disappeared, it in fact rooted in New Zealanders enough doubts about issues in our own country to make a difference in the years to come.
Politically, Muldoon’s National Government won with only a narrow victory in the 1981 general election. However in 1984, the Labour Government proved victorious and this change of government set off the start of huge long term changes in New Zealand in the following years.
Long Term Effects:
In the years following the election of a Labour Government in 1984, nuclear-free legislation and the homosexual law reform were both introduced to New Zealand. These were important social and political changes in New Zealand as they centred on what could be described as the identity of New Zealand as a society and nation. Thus, the change in government as a result of the 1981 Springbok Tour inadvertently resulted in major social and political changes in New Zealand.
Although the anti-apartheid movement in New Zealand was centred on the racism in South Africa, it forced New Zealanders to realise that the indigenous peoples, Maori, were also unfairly treated in their own society. After taking this into consideration, Pakeha began to attempt to rectify this and push or equality in New Zealand. As said by John Minto “I think the most important impact of the tour in New Zealand was to stimulate the whole debate about racism and about the place of Maori in our community” (6) which sums up exactly what happened.
Even though the Springbok Tour Protest Movement did not immediately affect society in South Africa, John Minto thinks that, “In South Africa the tour helped to bring, I think, a quicker end to the apartheid regime, along with all the other pressures from all around the world” (6). This could be true because 9 years later in February 1990, Nelson Mandela was freed from prison and inaugurated as the “first democratically elected state president of South Africa on 10 May 1994… In this respect, the tour represented New Zealand's contribution towards a major international event …. and an indefinite change in South African society” (8).