New Zealand “more self-confident”

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33096, 11 December 1972, Page 2

New Zealand “more self-confident”

(N.Z PA. Staff Correspondent),

LONDON, December 10.

The development of a degree of self-confidence is the most significant of the changes that have taken place in New Zealand of late, the Australian and New Zealand correspondent of the “Financial Times,” Michael Southern, said in a special feature, article.

The article was part of a four-page survey of New Zealand by the new’spaper. "Its (New Zealand’s) exporters now go to world markets knowing they can compete," said Southern. “The people as a whole no longer feel the need to be dependent on any other nation, or tied to the defence strings of America and the economic apron of Britain. “This is the new mood of the Dominion, one of confidence that it can be a viable and prosperous nation without the trappings it has now shed.” “MORE INTROSPECTIVE” Southern said that, for the first time in a decade, the E.E.C. was not the prevailing topic of conversation, and that, as New Zealanders turned away from this problem, they were becoming more introspective — worrying about domestic matters, about welfare and their life style, and about their future role in the world.

The first manifestation of this re-examination, according to Southern, led to the defeat of the National Party and a sweeping victory for Mr Kirk. "For the Labour view of New Zealand and its future is clearly different from that

of former Prime Ministers, Mr Marshall, and his predecessor, Sir Keith Holyoake,” he said. “In Mr Kirk,

there is none of the sentimentality that was constantly evident in predecessors, nor are there any of the pretentious claims of New Zealand’s importance on the international scene.” Southern said that Mr Kirk had a more realistic view of New Zealand’s place in the world—a view shared by his fellow countrymen. “One finds that the constant demand of people for reassurance that the rest of the world knew of New Zealand and its problems has diminished; so has the attitude that the world owes New Zealand a handsome living.” FOREIGN POLICY Southern sees New Zealand as having more independence in its foreign policy in the future, with Mr Kirk unlikely to follow any one country in the future blindly. It was probable, however, there would be stronger ties with Australia as the two new Governments found much in common, said Southern. “No longer is Australia seen as a bogy across the Tasman, intent only on taking New Zealand on as an extra state, or laughing- at its efforts to become something on the international economic scene,” said Southern. “There is now a degree of co-opera-tion that will increase under the new governments.”