[1] His father lost an arm in Australia and moved back to New Zealand to take up a position as a watchman at the Auckland Harbour Board.

[2] Watt attended Seddon Memorial Technical College, where he studied engineering and also played senior grade rugby for the Tech Old Boys' club.

[2] Previously, in 1962, he had also reduced his workload by resigning as executive director of the Auckland City Development Association after one year in the role.

[4] Watt was Australian-born, like Labour Party founders such as Harry Holland, Michael Joseph Savage, Bob Semple, and Paddy Webb, and later MPs such as Mabel Howard and Jerry Skinner.

[6] His initial failures were to help his subsequent development as a politician, saying, "I learned early in my political life that you've got to take the kicks with the congratulations".

The decision was not without controversy as Watt received many letters of protest warning against damage to the scenery which would be caused by raising the lake levels.

Watt quoted an assurance made by the company that the engineering works would be constructed so as to enhance the scenic effects, nor would the lake levels be raised so high as to endanger the town of Te Anau.

However, Watt ruled himself out stating he felt he could make a greater contribution to the city's development by remaining in national politics and that he wished to do so by serving in the cabinet of the next Labour government.

[16] When Labour was in opposition, several previous ministers had either died or retired and Watt soon found himself as one of the party's most experienced MPs.

In February 1971, Arthur Faulkner and potentially Bill Rowling were contemplating standing against him, however neither did allowing Watt to be re-elected once again unopposed.

[21] As the only member of the government with prior cabinet experience Watt carried a significant amount of responsibility handling both the strenuous Labour portfolio and had high demands in foreign relations as Deputy Prime Minister.

"[12] In the highly demanding role of Minister of Labour he offered an "open door policy" to all parties in industrial disputes.

[12] As Deputy Prime Minister he made a "futile but necessary" trip to Paris in April 1973 to voice New Zealand's opposition to nuclear weapons testing in French Polynesia.

He stated that: If I were to resign now as a Member of Parliament [for Onehunga] it would mean that I would lose my Cabinet status and the unique position that I have as High Commissioner with Executive Council rank that gives me access to British Government Ministers.

Watt made it a priority to boost confidence with employees by going out of his way to engage with people in person, gather groups to make decisions collectively and by attending all the staff training sessions himself.

During the British referendum (held to gauge support for continued EC membership) Watt was invited to speak at about 100 different gatherings during this period.

[28] Following the election of the Third National Government Watt was pressured to resign by new Prime Minister Robert Muldoon, it was widely speculated that his recall was purely for political reasons.

[12] In the midst of the dispute he warmly welcomed Brian Talboys, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, to London reinforcing his considerate, genial reputation.

During his brief time at the High Commission he did a great deal to boost the morale of the staff and a senior official there told media that "His [Watt's] politics and mine do not coincide, but that has nothing to do with the job.

His confidential cables cautioned that the All Black tour was perceived abroad as giving tacit support to the apartheid regime in South Africa.

He was replaced by Douglas Carter (a recently retired National MP) which served to strengthen the public perception that his removal was politically motivated.

Watt had intended to win the nomination again and only serve one term, using the time to lay the groundwork for Mike Moore, his friend and former MP for Eden, to succeed him.

[33] His health began to decline rapidly soon after his retirement and he was admitted to Auckland's Green Lane Hospital in October 1979 for surgery to drain a fluid buildup around his lungs.