Within days of being sworn in as a minister he ended New Zealand's compulsory military training scheme which fulfilled a key election campaign pledge by Labour.

[4] Faulkner strongly opposed New Zealand having sporting contact with South Africa during the Apartheid period and argued that the proposed 1973 Springbok tour should be cancelled.

He told cabinet that he would resign rather than instruct troops to combat protesting civilians and that in any case the military was not trained to assist police in preserving civil order.

He was particularly noted for his success in education and lands where he initiated the governments Ohu scheme of work groups for alternative communities in rural areas.

He was popular in caucus due to his amiable personality, but both chief whip Ron Barclay and senior minister Warren Freer saw him as indecisive and not leadership material.

Faulkner's critics suggested he was too ready to agree with all points of view but settle for none, whilst others thought he was skilled at reaching amicable agreements that never fully conceded to one side while still satisfying all parties.

[2] As president he was successful in retaining party members whilst in opposition but was heavily criticised for his role in several messy candidate selections ahead of the 1978 election (particularly Papatoetoe and Island Bay).

Banks believed Faulkner could be defeated, due to his narrow majority in 1975 and the newly redrawn electorate borders of Roskill, and campaigned full-time against him.

He was absent from Parliament for over a month and was relieved of some minor portfolio responsibilities by Rowling (electoral reform and accident compensation) to ease his recovery.

He clarified the late announcement by stating that he didn't want to give political opponents any indication to gear up their preparations to contest the seat.

Faulkner's final act in Parliament was to move the Gleneagles Agreement Bill which appropriately reflected his career long opposition to Apartheid.