Sir Robert Mafeking Macfarlane KCMG (né Haynes, 17 May 1900 – 2 December 1981) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.

[1] Born during the Second Boer War, his mother gave him the middle name Mafeking from a town in South Africa that was under siege at the time of his birth.

Macfarlane at times struggled with his hearing, which was known to be poor, which was further impeded when wearing the formal wig inside the chamber.

[2] Regardless a vote was never lost and later Labour leader Bill Rowling credited Macfarlane's use of 'common sense rather than the rule book' with enabling the government to survive its full term in office.

[2] Under Arnold Nordmeyer, and more particularly, Norman Kirk Labour wanted to modernise itself and Macfarlane was among several MPs who became increasingly pressured to retire.