Labour attacks borrowing

Press, 18 September 1976, Page 3

Labour attacks borrowing

PA Wellington] I New Zealand’s export returns were recovering even better than the Labour Government had expected last October, Mr C. J. Moyle (Lab, Mangere) said in Parliament yesterday; Speaking during the debate on the Imprest Supply Bill (No. 2), he said that even given that situation, Labour’s borrowing overseas had been only two-thirds that of the present Government. The Government, he said, had got an extra SBOOM in overseas export income and yet it had “blown the lot.” But the country could net look forward to higher farm production next year, and so would miss out on higher income which could be earned. Imports were up this year, and what “fool” would increase overseas borrowing when overseas prices were a record — “That fool over there . . . that Government.” Mr Moyle was required by the acting Speaker (Mr J. R. Harrison) (Hawke’s Bay) to : withdraw the word “fool.” I

u The Opposition also criti-i Icised the Government for - policies which, it said, were i leading to a “brain-drain” of • skilled people. Dr A. M. Finlay (Lab, ! Henderson) said more profes- • sional people were leaving the country than could be i replaced. Quoting departmental figures, he said that in March and April, 88 more architects, engineers and surveyors left the country permanently than arrived. In the case of schoolteachers, 118 more left than arrived, and in nursing, the net loss was 110. During the two months, 64 doctors left the country and 24 arrived. The Government had claimed during the election campaign that it would “cut imigration to the bone.” But the migration trend had now gone into reverse, it had achieved its policy objec-j tive by stimulating emigration, Dr Finlay said. The Minister of Trade and Industry (Mr AdamsSchneider) described the 1

Labour Governments immigration policies as “irresponsible.” He said an average of 30,000 people a year had immigrated to New Zealand during Labour’s termAcordingly, the National Government had had to impose tight controls. “It has entirely succeeded,” he said. The Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Taiboys) said that for every $lOO spent in New Zealand, there was a demand for between $2O and $25 worth of foreign imports. “What we have to do is earn foreign exchange to pay for those imports and slow down the demand within New Zealand.” Turning to foreign affairs, Mr Taiboys said the Labour Government wanted to delay any decisions and announcements on visits to New Zealand by nuclear-powered warships until after the election last year. “It is apparent that what the Labour Government intended to do, in spite of all they say today, was to an-

I nounce a policy of per- ! mitting visits by nuclear [vessels,” he said. In Opposition, the Labour ■ Party “presented policies they know they would not have accepted if they had remained the Government,” Mr Taiboys said. Sir Basil Arthur (Lab, Timaru) replied that “only a fool keeps a closed mind on any topic.”

At all times the Labour Government was receptive to information received from overseas on nuclear development. Never had any information been made [ available which suggested Labour should change its 1 policy of excluding nuclear vessels from New Zealand ports, he said. “But this did not mean we would not change our mind as a result of information coming to us,” he said.