Labour’s Economic Plans

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31977, 2 May 1969, Page 12

Labour’s Economic Plans

“I’m all right, Jack, in New Zealand,” was now an inapplicable philosophy, suggested Mr W. E. Rawling, member of Parliament for Buller, to the University of Canterbury Fabian Society.

It was a philosophy winch had been brought about by lack of economic planning.

“We can’t afford not to come to grips with, and resolve, the difficulties of the present time,” said Mr Rowling, in a lunch-hour address on Labour Party policy on economic planning. The Labour Party had always said there was a need, in an economy such as New Zealand’s, to plan priorities and establish coordination, he said. Planning was not infallible, but it did provide "a orooer degree of certainty” in the economy. “The National Party, not so many years -ago, used to heap scorn on central planning as ‘doctrinaire socialism’,” Mr Rowling told an

audience of about 35 students. “Now, the National Party, as the Government has quite suddenly bowed to public opinion on the need for planning.”

There had been, said Mr Rowling, “a sort of political shotgun wedding” between a

conservative Government and the concept of central planning. “That is why people can

say there is not much difference between our two political parties,” he said. Mr Rowling traced the history of Government economic planning from 40 years ago, through its development under the first Labour Government, and the “rejection” of central control in 1949.

It had simply been public opinion, suggested Mr Rowling, that bad induced the National Party to change its opinion on centralised economic planning and set up the National Development Conference—to go into second plenary session next week. Mr Rowling listed four factors which he said must be borne in mind in considering economic planning.

There had to be a real need for a planning organisation; there had to be a sense of participation; there had to be a balance between all sectors of the community; and there must be no coercion—“No New Zealander will' let himself be pushed into a comer,” Mr Rowling said.

With these points in mind, he said, a Labour Government would'' set up a threetier independent planning organisation.

At the first level would be a body of representatives of all sections of the commun-

ity-farming, industry, transport, etc.—under the chairmanship of a senior Cabinet minister, to present an overall plan for national development

At the second level, there would be a largely professional body to carry out basic research for long-term planning.

At the third level, there would be specialised groups and working parties to deal with particular sector targets, he said.