Beetham broadside against system

Press, 26 August 1978, Page 4

Beetham broadside against system

PA Wellington The present two-party system was creating instability, confrontation and extremism in politics, the Social Credit leader (Mr B. C. Beetham) told his party’s conference. The system encouraged •‘absolute majoritarian rule bj. a party with support from substantially less than half the popular eligible votes,” he said. “In the case of the present Government, this is a mere 39 per cent.” The result of the two partysystem was that the Opposi.ion automatically opposed almost everything the Government did, he said. This could bring considerable instability when governments changed at elections. Another result was that it showed the National Government to be dominated by its

n Right wing, and Labour could be dominated by its Lefts ;- wing. Mr Beetham said the priorn ity was a system of proporit tional representation, so that i) minor parties woyld break up the two-sided system. In turn, d this would mean that the e present rule requiring Govn ernment support for any prif vate member’s bill for such a move to proceed would have to be abolished. t Mr Beetham said the public e were trying to give Parliamentarians a message that 1 - they should reduce both peri- sonal denigration of each d other and petty party politi- - cal point-scoring. "There has also been abuse -of privileges on a grand '■ scale,” he said and referred t ito members using their free (. postage facilities to send out si“propaganda.”

Il In his first six months in t the House, he had found the National Party “entirely prag- ■ matic and largely, if not ■ merely, interested in the t exercise of power for its own > sake.” , I It was “soulless,” not moti- > vated by any philosophy, had • no conscience about charac•jter assassination, was arroijgant, found it difficult to tol- ! erate other opinions and its .“dirty tricks department is in top gear." •I The Labour Party was also “foundering in a philosophic ■ and policy wilderness. i “It is disspirited, demoralised and listless, merely goling through the motions,” - said Mr Beetham. I Unlike National, Labour I did have a “heart,” but it had , no “head,” he said. Its policies were either 1 “socialist platitudes,” or were stolen from Social Credit.