Labour leader fears for youth

Press, 14 May 1980, Page 6

Labour leader fears for youth

PA Wellington An explosive situation faces New Zealand’s youth, says the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Rowling).

•'pin his keynote address toi the Labour Party conference! .last' evening, Mr Rowling said this would not change while New Zealand- maintained unemployment and Was willing to sacrifice the rights of. young .people merely because they hdd been born at an economicallyjriconvenient moment. JS Mr' Rowling said he would: riot accept a pool' of ’young' uribmployed in New Zealand. I L “If that means we have to! give a job guarantee for the| first five years of a young! person’s working life, then! that must be done.”. • ■rlf it meant the State must! pay full wages. for a young• person to. be apprenticed to■ a/ private employer, then that! must be done, Mr Rowling j said/ ■ • • •■; ■; j;lf it meant that the education system had to accent a

reallocation ‘of some r of its priorities to ensure that it .first provided the tools of self-reliance in a . modern Wiorld, -then that must also be’done.''':/,, ■ ■ ;

I “The voice of privileged! i pressure groups is not goingto. be allowed to hamper- the course of social justice in this country,” Mr. Rowling said. “If : we' are, sincere in . our commitment to the un- • derprivileged,.. the struggling and the ’young and their ■ needs must-come; first'when the crunch comes.” Mr Rowling’s speech, rejceived enthusiastically by ■ more <■ than , 500 delegates, lat the conference, was seen /by some observers as a( d throw-back to the days of [ the late Norman Kirk, who i I was strongly identified with ;the image of nationhood. .! Mr Rowling said New [l Zealanders had the choice ofj II two roads: the first 'offered! :.!by the National Party and its] ;j friends, a road of abdication! ‘to big business that ran away; • from the problems of the] t moment. . -i

The second was the’road back to nationhood. It was longer and it -was i harder. “It is built by people (who refuse to give up o.ne (ounce, of their identity and

their integrity. It says that .while others may come, they come on oiir terms.” -This road was clearly signposted — New Zealand ; .for New Zealanders.

/Mr Rowlipg said . that foreign ■ investment •— “of the right kind, in the right place, and under the right rules” — would be accepted. On foreign . policy, Mr Rowling said that a more independent stance in relations with foreign countries was needed — it seemed that New Zealand was simply being dragged along in the slipstream of the. Super Powers.

; From the struggle in Zimbabwe to the Soviet invasion (of Afghanistan. New •Zealand under the National -Government had remained (quiet until it saw which [way the herd was moving. I' “If the Chinese or anyone else want to drop rockets in the Pacific, we . should .-be just .as vigorous and just as practical as we were against the French,” he said. It should be clear now that there was no security for small nations except what they created by their own courage and integrity. / Mr Rowling ' said there was no way the next Labour government would invoke the National' Development Bill against the ■ people of New Zealand.' '

The nation could do “very nicely”-., without repressive' legislation against the tradeunion movement, “arid we are not going to have the Security Intelligence Service used for party political purposes.” . ."

Mr Rowling ! promised Labour would work towards a comprehensive prices and incomes policy built on the concept of a' basic living income, reform the taxation system, moving 'immediately to lift the tax, burden frorii low-income groups. Labour would also overhaul the benefit structures for accident, compensation. National Superannuation, arid welfare.

Mr Rowling referred to the Maori people, continuing rhe conference erriphasis ori Maori affairs. He said -the Maori people were in the throes of their own renaissance. Their real identity was re-emerging with a pride and determination to tackle their own problems.