Keynesian Progress Party Outlines Election Policy

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31206, 2 November 1966, Page 22

Keynesian Progress Party Outlines Election Policy

“The New Zealand Keynesian Progress Party believes that the present main parties are not looking ahead sufficiently, and not facing local and world issues in an adequate way,” says the party’s 1966 election policy statement.

“Economically, New Zealand faces threats to her basic exports and markets but instead of using a period of high prices to prepare and plan for more difficult years ahead, the Government has compounded future problems by preferring borrowing to necessary but less popular economic measures. Socially, as in the phenomenal increase in illegitimacy rates, National and Labour have shown a similar wish to avoid facing a serious problem if the remedies might be controversial. “In this political situation, there seems to us to be a place for a new party “We hope that the following will at least stimulate some thought, even among those who don't intend to vite for us. Foreign Policy “We have maintained for some time, as the Vietnamese Buddhist monk currently touring Australia and New Zealand suggests, that there is a

third way in Vietnam, involving neither unconditional withdrawal and appeasement of force nor as much bloodshed as present policies. “We believe the balance of world power between Communism and other ideologies will not be decided in Vietnam, but in countries like India which is the world’s largest democracy and second most populous country. “For this reason, and for compelling humanitarian reasons, we call for a determined effort, by the richer countries in the Commonwealth to help India solve her desperate problems. We urge that there shoudl be at least one programme a week on TV dramatising the problems of such countries and discussing possible remedies. And we call upon New Zealanders to be willing to devote as much money to such a positive attack on human suffering as the Government now spends on weapons. This would involve, not 1 per cent of the national income at some time in the future, as envisaged by the National Party and Labour Party, but at least 2J per cent, or 6d in the £, as soon as possible. Economic Progress

“We advocate the formation of a semi-government organisation consisting of technical and automation experts and of inventors and organisers of proven ability. They should

survey industry and production in general with a view to facilitating modernisation. The initial cost of modernisation and new industries should be financed by a small percentage of compulsory saving, as advocated by Keynes in one of his last books. The first aim of such investment should be an ample wage for a 40-hour working week.

"Like the British Liberal Party, we also believe that greater employee-employer co-operation, based on encouraging workers to buy some shares in their own factory, and on some participation in management decisions by worker-representatives, would enhance economic efficiency. “We favour a second chamber or ‘Senate’ consisting of about 20 elected specialists. “We advocate that expenditure on educational research should be increased five-fold; that syllabuses should be radically revised so as to be more effective in developing pupils as thinking and valuing individuals; that better educational films and TV programmes should be encouraged; that more lavish equipment should be provided, particularly for science teaching. “It is clear that many problems of human conduct and welfare would be better prevented than cured. A welldirected social sicence branch of the D.S.I.R. would help in accomplishing this. “Apart from temporary withholding of some spending power via a small percentage of compulsory saving until bold new schemes have been got under way, the party is opposed to the idea of any over-all increase in the level of taxation. This does not preclude, however, some adjustments in the form of pattern of taxation.”