Fish and Chip Brigade

[1] The epithet, originally used from 1980 as a term of contempt by the then ruling National Party, came about after a newspaper photograph showing the four politicians tucking into a meal of takeaway fish and chips after a failed leadership coup in which they had attempted to replace then Labour Party leader, Bill Rowling, with Lange on 12 December 1980.

[3] The term is still used in a derogatory way by some sectors of New Zealand, in particular in reference to the hard-line neoliberal economic policies of the Fourth Labour Government, which became known as "Rogernomics".

In this context, the name of Labour minister Richard Prebble is also frequently added to those of the four politicians in the photograph.

[4] A long standing rumour is that Moore was not expected to be present, but after smelling the fish and chips whilst walking down the corridor, he decided to join in.

Earlier it had been slated for demolition in the late 1980s, but its significance was seen as such that Lange's successor as Prime Minister, Geoffrey Palmer, stepped in to save it.