Michael Bassett

Michael Bassett is a prominent New Zealand politician and former Minister of Local Government, known for his significant role in local government reform during the late 1980s. As a member of the Fourth Labour Government, he was instrumental in reducing the number of local government bodies from 850 to just 86, aiming to streamline governance and improve efficiency. His reforms were part of a broader movement to modernize New Zealand's public administration and have had a lasting impact on the structure of local governance in the country.