Palmer, Geoffrey Winston Russell (1942- )

New Zealand Labour centre-left politician, prime minister 1989-90. From 1984 he served as deputy prime minister and attorney general in the Labour government of David Lange and, on Lange's resignation in 1989, he became prime minister. With the economy depressed, Palmer soon became unpopular and he was forced to resign in September 1990, after facing a confidence vote. He was succeeded by Michael Moore one month before the 1990 general election, which was won by the National Party, led by Jim Bolger.

A graduate of Victoria University, Wellington, Palmer was a law lecturer in the USA and New Zealand before entering politics, becoming Labour member for Christchurch in the house of representatives 1979.