Labour reshuffles its Parliamentary spokesmen

Press, 26 February 1977, Page 1

Labour reshuffles its Parliamentary spokesmen

PA Wellington The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Rowling) yesterday announced a new’ list of Opposition spokesmen as part of the Labour Party’s reorganisation to prepare for this year’s session of Parliament.

Mr Rowling said that the front-bench position held during last year’s session of Parliament by the former member of Parliament for Mangere, Mr C. J. Moyle, would remain vacant when Parliament opened at the special session on Monday, which the Queen will attend. This was a deliberate move, Mr Rowling said, which would act as a reminder that events in Parliament and in the media during 1976 should never have occurred. He declined to name the Opposition M.P. who would move forward to occupy Mr Moyle’s place on the Labour front bench. Among the major changes in spokesmen, Mr W. W. Freer (Mount Albert) takes over the role for foreign affairs and overseas trade. Mr Rowling had dealt with these before. Mr B. G. Barclay (Christchurch Central) becomes the spokesman on agriculture in place of Mr Moyle. Mr N. J. Kirk (Sydenham) takes over tourism from Mrs Whetu TirikateneSullivan (Southern Maori). Mr Rowling takes a spokesman’s position for “media,” a position from which he would deal with all aspects of the media, including broadcasting, he said. Mr F. M. Colman (Petone) gives up the position of immigration spokesman to Mr T. J. Young (Hutt), and takes on the spokesman’s role for energy, which had

previously been held by Mr Young.

Mr J. G. O’Brien (Island Bay), who was the spokesman on local body affairs, is not given any spokesman’s role. He was recorded on an official list as being “on leave.” Mr Rowling said this was connected with Mr O’Brien’s decision to take leave of absence from his position of senior vicepresident of the party. It would be unfair to load him with a spokesman’s role while he was on leave from the post, but the position was subject to review.

Labour’s line-up of spokesmen and special subject committee shows some surprising changes, indicative of new lines in Opposition attacking policy in the coming months, writes Cedric Mentiplay. Mr R. O. Douglas, noted as a main planner and “ideas man” of the last Labour Government, has taken over the role of spokesman on consumer protection. Another area of mounting public awareness is that of energy, which has been given to Mr Colman.

Mr M. A. Connelly, one of the hardest workers in the party, is spokesman on social welfare. If Mr D. R. Lange is elected to Parliament in the Mangere by-election he may become Mr Connelly’s assistant.

The four Maori members have been given the tasks of spokesmen; for Maori affairs Mr M. Rata, marine Mr P. B. Reweti, lands and forestry Mr K. T. Wetere and familv affairs Mrs Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan The full list of spokesmen is: Sir Basil Arthur 'Timaru), transport; Mr R. L Bailey iHeretiungai, works: Mr Ba--clay. agriculture: Mrs M. D

Batchelor (Avon), women's rights and associate tourism; Mr P. B. Blanchfield (West Cost), mines; Mr G. Christie (Napier), police; Mr Colman, energy; Mr Connelly (Wigram), social welfare; Mr M., Courtney (Nelson), fisheries and horticulture; Mr Douglas, consumer protection; Mr R. P. B. Drayton (St Albans), defence; Mr A. J. Faulkner (Roskill), industrial relations; Dr A. M. Finlay (Henderson), justice; Mr W. A. Fraser (St Kilda), housing and construction; Mr overseas trade and foreign affairs; Mr J. L. Hunt (New Lynn), health; Mr E. E. Isbey (Grey Lynn), arts, recreation, and sport and associate industrial relations; Mr Kirk, tourism; Mr B. P. MacDonell (Dunedin Central), customs and regional development; Mr C. R. Marshall ‘Wanganui), education; Mr R. W. Prebble (Auckland Central), environment and associate con-

sumer protection; Mr Rata (Northern Maori), Maori affairs; Mr Reweti (Eastern Maori), marine; Mr F. Rogers (Onehunga), post office and associate transport; Mr Rowling, media: Mrs Tirikatene-Sullivan, family affairs; Mr R. J. Tizard (Otahuhu), finance; Dr G. A. Wall (Porirua), local government and race relations; Mr Wetere (Western Maori), lands and forestry; Sir Young, immigration. Conveners of special committees were appointed as: Finance, Mr Tizard; trade, industry, and consumer protection, Mr Freer; justice and human relations, Dr Finlay; industrial relations and manpower, Mr Faulkner; social welfare, Mr Connelly; primary resources, Mr Barclay; energy, Mr Colman; transport and communications, Sir Basil Arthur; works and development, Mr Bailey; cultural, Mr Rata.