Labour’s remits ’realistic’

Press, 10 April 1978, Page 26

Labour’s remits ’realistic’

PA Wellington Remits for this year’s Labour Party conference reflected a mood of economic realism in the party, its general secretary (Mr John Wybrovv) said. Describing the remits as the most responsible he had seen since he had been with the parts. Mr Wybrow said: “The trivia has gone, and so ha’ the tendency to spend money wildly.” In some years the annual conference had been faced with demands for spending millions, he said This year it is obvious that partv members in general accept the need for financial restraint. The party knows that until we set the economy on the right road again we will not be able to expand welfare services great ly.” The remit papei also showed that the party had come to terms with a change in conference debates, Mr Wybrow said? Only “composite” remits now go to the conference instead of what he described as "sometimes petty remits"! which had wasted conference time in the past. The 25 remits for the con-i ference. which opens in Wel-

lington on May 8, include; proposals for the repeal of I existing abortion laws and a> referendum on the issue; re-‘ peal of the 1977 5.1.5.1 Amendment Act; a Labour iagricultural policy based on' the need to strengthen rural communities; a review of the fishing industry and its I resources; a Royal commission on parliamentary re- j form; a single enrolment: procedure for parliamentary! and local authority elections; 1 I reforms in education; more; money' for the arts. There is also a call for anend to trade with South; Africa and a review’ of New Zealand’s overseas diplomat-! ie posts: establishment of an! overseas division of the. Ministry of Works to help, developing countries in the 1 design and construction of! public health facilities; °x-. tension of the Reserve; Bank's role in credit crea-l tion; a general reduction n | (interest rates and reduction; of first mortgage housing l finance to 5 per cent; im-i provements in health service* and the nationalisation Jof private hospitals; and' provision of adequate housing at a cost of no more than lone sixth of a family’s income.