Angry Sir Basil leaves House

Press, 31 May 1980, Page 3

Angry Sir Basil leaves House

NZPA’ Wellington An angry Sir Basil Arthur stalked out of Parliament yesterday rather than withdraw an accusation that the Leader of the House (Mr Thomson) was telling lies.

The senior Government Whip (Mr A. P. D. Friedlander) later tried to have Sir Basil brought back and made to withdraw or be suspended. But the Speaker (Mr Harrison) said it was too late to do this.

The row blew up in the Address-in-Reply debate when Mr Thomson accused the Labour Party of deciding to withdraw from A.N.Z.U.S. The decision had been made by the recent Labour Party conference, he said. But Sir Basil said this, was not correct, and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Mr Lange) said: “The conference doesn’t make policy.” Sir Basil Arthur, visibly angry, told Mr Thomson: “Tell a lie often enough and someone might believe you.” He repeated this and commented: “Goebbelesque tactics.” When Mr Thomson was given a warning bell before the end of his speech, Mr

Lange called out, “In five minutes give us some truth,” A Government backbencher, Mr J. H. Falloon (Pahiatua), later objected to Sir Basil’s comments to Mr Thomson. But Mr Lange said neither Mr Thomson nor any other Government member had objected at the time. The Deputy Speaker (Mr Luxton) who was in the chair, said that as Mr Falloon had raised the matter he had to ask Sir Basil to withdraw his comments.

Sir Basil: Labour Party policy on A.N.Z.U.S. has not changed. Mr Luxton again asked him to withdraw what he had said to Mr Thomson. Sir Basil: As I’m not prepared to stay listening to this I will leave the chamber of my own volition. He then walked out. Mr Thomson, continuing his speech, said that the Government reaffirmed its commitment to collective security as embodied in the A.N.Z.U.S. treaty. It would be difficult to overstate the benefit that accrued to New Zealand from it, he said. “We need A.N.Z.U.5.," said Mr Thomson. “We make no bones about it. We are not frightened of any Left-wing intellectuals.” The Speaker, who had been out of the chamber when the row over Sir Basil’s comments blew up, returned soon after this. The Minister of Labour (Mr Bolger) told him what had happened and asked if it was in order for a member to leave the chamber instead of withdrawing something when he was asked.