What the M.P.s were saying Confrontation at all levels

Press, 7 August 1978, Page 2

What the M.P.s were saying Confrontation at all levels

By

CEDRIC MENTIPLAY

Local members had ample opportunity to get into the battle last week, as there were confrontations at all levels, from general debate to Estimates and members’ motions. It began on Tuesday with clashes over the Post Office Amendment Bill, Mr D. F. Qv ! ~ley (Nat., Rangiora) reacting strongly against criticism by Mr F. L. Rogers (Lab., Onehunga) on the reported Post Office profit of $37.7M. “Comparing that with the activities of the Labour Government, and its dismal story during three years in office, we find a loss of S6SM for the Post Office,” Mr Quigley said. Mr A. G. Malcolm (Nat., Eden): Who paid for that? Mr Quigley: The taxpayers throughout the length and breadth of New Zealand paid for it. Members opposite apparently think that if something comes out of the Consolidated Account, somebody else has paid for it. Mr M. F. Courtney (Lab., Nelson): It was wicked to take telephones from pensioners.

Mr Quigley: Surely even the member for Nelson knows that is not correct. Today the member for Onehunga persisted in saying that the Government was proposing to introduce charging for local telephone calls. That was denied earlier today by the Prime Min-

ister, but I shall repeat -— 1 despite the efforts of Labour rumour-mongers, the Government has no intention of introducing charges for local calls. Taxation offers Mrs Mary Batchelor (Lab, Avon) accused Government members of using extreme cases in trying to talk down the Labour Party’s taxation scheme. “Very few people would be able to claim the full amount of every rebate that could be claimed,” Mrs Batchelor said. “I am thinking of the dependent spouse rebate, the single-income family rate, or the young-family rebate for a child under five years. Here is where the difference is so obvious: under the Labour Party’s proposed taxation scheme everyone with children will have a claim, and not just those whose children happen to be a certain age. The Labour Party’s tax scheme is positive, and recognises the problems that face the country. It is the first time in 2J years that recognition has been given to the problem.” Mrs Batchelor said that the present Government had done nothing about the state of the country, unemployment, redundancy, the needs of the South Island, or regional development.

“This tax scheme is one of our answers. It is giving notice of our intention that the answers needed will be implemented,” she said.

Education available During discussion on the Education Estimates, Miss Colleen Dewe (Nat, Lyttelton) said that she had attended university in her spare time and paid her own way on a very small income. No monetary handout from the Government had been received or expected.

“Tertiary education is available for anyone with determination who seeks to make use of it,” Miss Dewe said. "The State should not be expected to provide university students with a cushy living. “During the last two years and a half, as a result of the three Budgets presented by National, rural boarding allowances have been increased from $3OO to $6OO a year. The Government has placed considerable emphasis on pre-school education, and has improved the facilities available to young children. It is the Government’s stated intention to make early childhood education services available where feasible by 1980.”

In the Lyttelton electorate, play centres and kindergartens were being established, or being changed in concept, she said. The Minister and his department had given the Governor’s Bay Play Centre

Association and the community association help in establishing a project there. The idea of using halls and community facilities had been bome out in use of the Lansdowne community centre. Defence viewpoint When the Minister of Defence (Mr McCready) suggested during the Foreign Affairs debate that because of the small size of its armed forces, New Zealand would have no influence on the major countries in discussion on disarmament, Mr R. P. B. Drayton (Lab, St Albans) took the opposite view. “It is because of our very small spending on arms that we can have a very great influence in world forums on disarmament,” Mr Drayton said. “The Labour Party has always supported the Anzus Treaty. “In December, 1976, Mr J. William Miltendorf 111, then Secretary of the United States Navy, made an official visit to New Zealand. He had discussions with me as Opposition spokesman on defence, and he indicated to me (I take some pride in it) that he believed me to be one of the strongest friends of the United States military forces,” Mr Drayton said.