John Ballance - Premier

Premier

In 1890, Ballance led a loose coalition of liberal politicians to victory in the general election. Harry Atkinson, the Premier who had defeated Stout, was forced to resign, but not before stacking the Legislative Council with his own supporters. This was to prove a serious problem for Ballance's premiership, but not one which he was unable to overcome (partly by reducing the life-tenure of legislative councillors to one term of seven years). His successful battle with the Governor over changes to the Legislative Council also helped define the relationship between the elected Premier and the appointed Governor (mostly in the Premier's favour).

During his term, Ballance was actively concerned in the advocacy of women's suffrage, declaring to parliament that he believed in the "absolute equality of the sexes." This was a cause he had partially inherited from his colleague in the Stout premiership, Julius Vogel, and in which he was influenced by his politically astute wife, Ellen. Ballance was also responsible for the establishment, in 1891, of the progressive land tax and progressive income tax. He was widely praised for his handling of the economy, which expanded greatly during his term.