M.P.s get ‘same courtesies’

Press, 2 April 1979, Page 6

M.P.s get ‘same courtesies’

The former Minister of Social Welfare, Mr H. J. Walker, said last evening that he would welcome an inquiry into the courtesies extended by all foreign governments to New Zealand politicians. Mr Walker was replying to the Labour member of Parliament for Te Atatu (Dr M. E. R. Bassett) who had asked the Government to say how many National Party members had gone to South Africa in the last decade, and who had paid. Dr Bassett had also called for an inquiry into South African activities in New Zealand in view of recent ■ revelations on South Africa’s attempts to buy good will in other countries". He had called for a list of National Party members who had accepted fully paid trips to South Africa, and had named Mr Walker as one of them. In reply, Mr Walker said that he "and his wife had visited South Africa on their way home from a trip to Britain.

"We paid our fares,” he said. “We received the same courtesies that members of the International Parliamentary Union receive in any country.” Mr Walker said that he thought Dr Bassett should name the Labour members of Parliament who had accepted such courtesies in other countries. “I have been on overseas visits with members of the Labour Party and we have been treated as guests of the government concerned,” he said.

On a visit to the United States he had been accompanied by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Rowling). Both of them, in addition to return air fares, had been paid out-of-pocket expenses by the United States Government. “Since Dr Bassett wants an inquiry, let us have one into the courtesies extended by the Russian and Peking governments as well to Labour members,” Mr Walker said.