One key cause of the 1981 Springbok Tour protests was the cancellation of the 1973 Tour. Due to previous Springbok tours of Britain and
Australia in 1970 and 1971 concluding in a sense of unrest both in South Africa and their host countries South Africa’s sporting contacts almost entirely ceased, for it was encouraged to show disapproval of South Africa’s apartheid system through having nothing to do with the country. When New Zealand’s turn arrived in 1973, a heated debated in opposition began. In the lead-up to the 1972 elections, Labour leader Norman Kirk made a promise to not get involved
ith the tour. However, he came to the realisation that without a leader to negotiate the issue and express the unease that this tour would create in New
Zealand he began to attempt to get the NZRU to withdraw its invitation to the
Springboks, as well as try to negotiate with anti-tour groups. This was
breaking his election promise and received wide criticism from around New
Zealand, Kirk saw the tour as not much more than a possibility for civil unrest
and saw no alternative than to cancel the tour. Groups such as HART (Halt All
Racist Tours) saw that this decision supported the abolishment of racism in
South Africa, and were encouraged by what they saw as New Zealand standing up
for itself. But when the tour was not cancelled in 1981, they campaigned
furiously to bring about the same triumph experienced in 1973. This previous
victory only served as an incentive for anti-tour protestors to go to extreme
means to rise up again in order to bring the government to a decision which
would see the 1981 tour cancelled until change came to South Africa. The
cancellation of the 1973 tour was a cause of the 1981 tour protests for it
created an incentive and belief in the protesters which caused them to go to
extreme means in order to reach their previously accomplished goal of a full
cancelation which they saw the government was able to do in 1973, without the
1973 tour being cancelled the protesters may not have gone to the means they did
or have the same effect on the void between New Zealanders which was
seen.
Australia in 1970 and 1971 concluding in a sense of unrest both in South Africa and their host countries South Africa’s sporting contacts almost entirely ceased, for it was encouraged to show disapproval of South Africa’s apartheid system through having nothing to do with the country. When New Zealand’s turn arrived in 1973, a heated debated in opposition began. In the lead-up to the 1972 elections, Labour leader Norman Kirk made a promise to not get involved
ith the tour. However, he came to the realisation that without a leader to negotiate the issue and express the unease that this tour would create in New
Zealand he began to attempt to get the NZRU to withdraw its invitation to the
Springboks, as well as try to negotiate with anti-tour groups. This was
breaking his election promise and received wide criticism from around New
Zealand, Kirk saw the tour as not much more than a possibility for civil unrest
and saw no alternative than to cancel the tour. Groups such as HART (Halt All
Racist Tours) saw that this decision supported the abolishment of racism in
South Africa, and were encouraged by what they saw as New Zealand standing up
for itself. But when the tour was not cancelled in 1981, they campaigned
furiously to bring about the same triumph experienced in 1973. This previous
victory only served as an incentive for anti-tour protestors to go to extreme
means to rise up again in order to bring the government to a decision which
would see the 1981 tour cancelled until change came to South Africa. The
cancellation of the 1973 tour was a cause of the 1981 tour protests for it
created an incentive and belief in the protesters which caused them to go to
extreme means in order to reach their previously accomplished goal of a full
cancelation which they saw the government was able to do in 1973, without the
1973 tour being cancelled the protesters may not have gone to the means they did
or have the same effect on the void between New Zealanders which was
seen.