What the M.P.s were saying Ho-hum debate, says Lyttelton member

Press, 14 August 1978, Page 2

What the M.P.s were saying Ho-hum debate, says Lyttelton member

From

CEDRIC MENTIPLAY

Miss C. E. Dewe (Nat.,'' Lyttelton) is getting a repu-| ta’tion in Parliament for the! 1 use of quiet logic to take; the sting out of Opposition ( attacks. On Tuesday, when Labour! forced an adjourment debate; about trade negotations with Japan, she waited until near| the end, and then summed;

up: “This is a ho-hum debate. This is a debate about nothing. Opposition members had no idea of what they were trying to achieve, yet at the beginning they set about it with a certain amount of heart ...” She said that Opposition members were probing to try to make public the secret agreement negotiated by the Government with the Japanese. “The benefit of the debate has been dubious in the extreme. It certainly has not been beneficial for New Zealand — particularly when this country is in a; most difficult economic ( state, and at a fine stage ini its negotiations with a for-; eign country about some-! thing which is of great irn-l portance to both of them.” The next day, when Mr N. J. Kirk (Lab., Sydenham) said that the Government should detail precisely how revenue lost from tax reductions should be replaced,! Miss Dewe hit back: “II move that this House ex-| press its intense interest in; the member for Sydenham’s' statement,” she said. “I ask the Labour Party; how to detail precisely justi

i how the foreign exchange; (surcharge will be levied, and,; (on which goods. Also, how (I (much will be saved from re-11 ! duced numbers on unem-j (ployment benefits, and how! ( many people will be left on! i the dole after 12 months. ( “Can Labour say when I unemployment will be elimi-j .Inated under Labour’s tax! proposals? Can Labour also, explain how the ‘psychological effect’ of a change of Government will assist in achieving these goals. I present this motion because of a comment by the member for Sydenham, and I ask the Labour Party to state precisely how its lost revenue will compensate for the tax reductions proposed in its alternative budget.” Southern plight A 50 per cent increase in the number of unemployed in Invercargill since the end of June was alleged by Mr B. G. Barclay (Lab., Christchurch Central). His total consisted of 551 registered unemployed, and 384 on special work. “The Government’s style of economic wizardry is driving New Zealand back ..into the financial stone age,” said Mr Barclay. ( “The collapse of industry ! in Christchurch means that . the economy of the region is ' shrinking daily. Canterbury ( will soon resemble the land the pioneers broke in 140 years ago. No-one wants to wind the clock back a century, and to have to pick stones on the Canterbury Plains as it happened during • the last depression.” . He asked whether the Government was proud of . 4400 registered unemployed in Christchurch. ( “The unemployment benei fit being paid in Christ(church is costing $3500 (every working hour. Surely it is good economics to put : Christchurch people back to work! instead of paying them $7.3M in a year for doing nothing.” Belter deal? : Mr R. L. G. Talbot (Nat.,| (South Canterbury) alleged j ( during a discussion on the! (works estimates that con- i I tractors would get a far bet-j (ter deal under a National (Government than they ever( i had under Labour. I

; There was now steady growth, and the National • Roads Board had been assured of a steady income for (the first time in many years, (he said. The National ~ Government had given priority. !to increasing development. (The water and soil con-, (servation vote had been ini'creased from $26.6M to (532.2 M this year, and the • amount for catchment board (works from $13.8M to 516.2 M. Priority had been given to the protection of New Zealand’s greatest resource, land.

Outmoded policy? Mr M. A. Connelly (Lab., Wigram) wanted to know why the Government was supporting the outmoded economic theories of the 19305? Why had it cut back heavily on its own works programme? Why was the National Roads Board’s revenue down? “A cut in Government expenditure on building and contracting has led to widespread unemployment and business collapse,” said Mr Connelly 7. “In the long run it is more costly and wasteful of productive capacity and manpower to cut back on Government expenditure in these areas . .. “Why are millions of dollars worth of plant and equipment lying idle, when 45,000 people are unemployed or on special work — while important construction and development work is waiting to be done, and will never be done more cheaply?” Post Office profit Sir Basil Arthur (Lab., Timaru) was caustic about the profit of $37.7M made by the Post and Telegraph Department.

He said it had been announced that local telephone calls might be charged for. “That statement by the Post-master-General was made too early,” said Sir Basil. “When he marched off to the Cabinet with it, the Prime Minister had somej thing to say. The Prime (Minister had worked out that there was a considerable (public feedback about the possibility of charges on ; local calls ... “However, we should not; be deceived that this is the; end of it, Sir Basil said.