Mr O’Brien must go — executive

Press, 5 November 1977, Page 1

Mr O’Brien must go — executive

PA Wellington The Labour Party’s executive yesterday confirmed the decision of its New Zealand Council rejecting the nomination of the sitting member of Parliament for Island Bay, Mr J. G. O’Brien, for next year’s General Election. Nominations for the seat closed last evening. The selection meeting will be held on November 10. Details of the nominations were not available from Labour Party headquarters but they are known to include the former member for Kapiti, Mr F. D. O’Flynn, now a Wellington city councillor, and Mr D. Foy, a party stalwart. There has been speculation that the party’s general secretary I»r J. F. Wybrow, and a former city councillor, Mr D. A. Shand, will also be nominated. Mr Shand, who nearly won the Wellington Central seat in 1972, is lecturing in Australia. Mr O’Brien has been nominated for the Miramar seat for which the selection will be held on Tuesday. The Labour Party’s president (Mr A. J. Faulkner) said in a brief statement after the executive of nine met yesterday: “The executive of the Labour Party today upheld previous New Zealand council decisions concerning the Island Bay electorate. The nomination

of the sitting member, Mr J. G. O’Brien has been withdrawn.”

The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Rowling) who does not have a vote on the executive, was present for part of the meeting, but was in Parliament most of the time. The executive considered representations from Mr O’Brien’s supporters, including the Wellington Trades Council, to have the New Zealand council’s earlier decision overturned. Mr O’Brien said in a statement last evening: "I deeply regret that the New Zealand council and the party executive at the behest of the Parliamentary party leader have not seen fit to allow the electorate organisation to express its opinion on my candidacy, or on my work as a local member.”

He said the Island Bay electorate had decided on three occasions that he should represent it. “From the inflow of messages I am receiving I am led to believe that they may not share the views of the present Labour Party leadership. They know of my continuing commitment to their interests.

“I can never deny the rock from which I am hewn — everyone knows that I will always be loyal to the principles of the Labour movement as laid down by Norman Kirk and other Labour leaders with

whom it has been my privilege to have worked.

“I am saddened that those principles and approach to New Zealand's problems are being discarded by the same people who are equally prepared to discard me.”

Mr O’Brien added: "I wish my party well in the troubled times ahead for it and New Zealand.” He declined to add to what he had said in his prepared statement, but told reporters that he would meet trade-union supporters during the week-end. Mr O’Brien has said he does not intend to leave the Labour Party at this stage, but sources close to him say he might consider standing as an Independent at the next election. The selection of a candidate for the seat will be made by a panel of three representatives from the electorate and three headquarters representatives. These are expected to be Mr Faulkner, the senior vice-president, (Mr J. A. Walding) and Mr Wybrow if he is not a candidate.