A key cause which resulted in the 1981 Springbok tour protests was the cancellation of the 1973 tour. Throughout the Springbok tours of Britain and Australia in 1970 and 1971, there were a number of strong and somewhat violent protests, culminating in a sense of unrest in both South Africa and their host countries. The sporting contact with South Africa in most countries had almost entirely ceased, as it was encouraged to show disssproval of south Africa's racist political system of Apartheid so therefore it was encouraged to not engage in sporting contact with South Africa. In 1973 it was New Zealand's turn, and highly politicized campaign of opposition began. Leading up to the 1972 elections, Labour leader Norman Kirk made a promise to not interfere with the tour at all. However, the beginning of this leadership was fraught with many decisions based around the sporting contact with South Africa, and as a result, he began to get the NZRFU to withdraw its invitation to the Springbok's, as well as negotiating with anti-tour groups. This decision however, was going back on his election promises, and as a result he received a large amount of criticism from all over New Zealand, especially from the conservative rural rugby supporters.
Kirk saw the tour as nothing more than a possibility for civil unrest within the nation, which can be seen by the burning of a rugby grand stand in Papakura in April, 1973, and saw no alternative to postponing the tour. Kirk also realized that black African nations were likely to boycott the 1974 commonwealth games in Christchurch if the tour did indeed go ahead, and realized that this would result in a large amount of bad publicity for New Zealand. Kirk wrote to the NZRFU saying that the government saw "no alternative, pending selection on a genuine merit basis, to a postponement of the tour". Firstly, the cancellation of the 1973 tour caused a sense of victory for groups like HART (Halt All Racist Tours). They saw that the government had interfered with the tour, to make in their eyes the right decision that supported the abolishment of racism in South Africa. Protests groups were encouraged by this, and when the tour was not cancelled in 1981, they campaigned furiously to try and bring about the same victory they had achieved in the 1970's.
Having managed to stop the 1973 tour, it served only as an incentive for anti tour protesters to make a stand and protest against against the 1981 Springbok tour. Also, those critical of Kirk decision gained an incentive because they believed not only he had broken his election promise, he had bowed to threats by 'rent-a-mob' activists. This resulted in a lot of anger as the previous tour had been cancelled, the call for another tour had been intensified as they missed out last time. As a result there was more opposition to the anti-tour protesters in 1981, from the establishment of the red and blue squad to violence form the general public towards protesters.
Ultimately the cancellation of the 1973 tour by the Labour government was a key cause in the 1981 protests, because it inspired and gave an incentive to both the anti and pro-tour activists.
Kirk saw the tour as nothing more than a possibility for civil unrest within the nation, which can be seen by the burning of a rugby grand stand in Papakura in April, 1973, and saw no alternative to postponing the tour. Kirk also realized that black African nations were likely to boycott the 1974 commonwealth games in Christchurch if the tour did indeed go ahead, and realized that this would result in a large amount of bad publicity for New Zealand. Kirk wrote to the NZRFU saying that the government saw "no alternative, pending selection on a genuine merit basis, to a postponement of the tour". Firstly, the cancellation of the 1973 tour caused a sense of victory for groups like HART (Halt All Racist Tours). They saw that the government had interfered with the tour, to make in their eyes the right decision that supported the abolishment of racism in South Africa. Protests groups were encouraged by this, and when the tour was not cancelled in 1981, they campaigned furiously to try and bring about the same victory they had achieved in the 1970's.
Having managed to stop the 1973 tour, it served only as an incentive for anti tour protesters to make a stand and protest against against the 1981 Springbok tour. Also, those critical of Kirk decision gained an incentive because they believed not only he had broken his election promise, he had bowed to threats by 'rent-a-mob' activists. This resulted in a lot of anger as the previous tour had been cancelled, the call for another tour had been intensified as they missed out last time. As a result there was more opposition to the anti-tour protesters in 1981, from the establishment of the red and blue squad to violence form the general public towards protesters.
Ultimately the cancellation of the 1973 tour by the Labour government was a key cause in the 1981 protests, because it inspired and gave an incentive to both the anti and pro-tour activists.