P.M. defends role in Moyle row

Press, 17 November 1976, Page 6

P.M. defends role in Moyle row

The Prime Minister ( Mr Muldoon) said last night that he regarded recent allegations by the former Labour Minister of Agriculture, Mr Colin Moyle, against the Xuckland firm of chartered accountants of which he was a member as being far more damaging than his ow n retaliatory remarks.

It was a disgrace to Parliament that a member should make an allegation about a professional firm which had only its unblemished professional integrity to put before the public, said Mr Muldoon in an hourlong interview with Gordon Dryden on TV?. He said Mr Moyle had so far only retracted his allega--.gamsi the Prime Minister, and not against the firm, which was taking lega! advice. Mr Muldoon said his response in Parliament was warranted because of the damage caused by Mr Moyle's remark. He >aid the damage to the firm would be longer tasting than ant’ damage to

0 Mr Moyle caused by his . 1 reply. Mr Muldoon dismissed a ’ poll of the Auckland area. - which revealed that a strong r|; majority of people disapproved of his allegation, as being the result of loaded ’ questions. 1 The poll, which questioned - 300 people, found 17 per cent . of them approved of Mr Muldoon’s action, 74 per cent disapproved, and 9 per cent . were uncommitted. Asked if they were satise fied with Mr Muldoon’s sube sequent explanation. 24 per i cent replied that they were, 57 per cent said they were s dissatisfied, and 19 per cent 5 were uncommitted. e When the same people s were asked if they were satis, e tied with Mr Moyle’s explanar tion. 42 per cent said they ■ were, 28 per cent said they

were dissatisfied, and 30 per cent were uncommitted. Mr Muldoon said the poll was not a true indication of public feeling because the ) questions were loaded. If a similar poll were con--1 ducted with people being asked to comment on Mr Moyle’s statement which | attacked the integrity of a ■professional firm, the same i results might well be found, he suggested. Mr Muldoon said the questions put by the poll typified the coverage which had been given to his remark alone. The press had virtually ignored Mr Moyle’s statement. he said. After the judicial inquiry iinto the incident would be I the best time to assess whether the man in the I street was satisfied with his iaction, said Mr Muldoon.