M.P. urges regional planning power

Press, 17 July 1980, Page 17

M.P. urges regional planning power

PA Wellington Dr M. E. R. Bassett, the Labour member of Parliament for Te Atatu, has called for a devolution of departmental power and decentralisation of bureaucracy. Speaking during the Budget debate in Parliament, he said that many functions now carried on in Wellington should be devolved upon the regions. “Much planning of the use of resources should be done at regional level,” he said. “Communities should be involved in community planning. “In other words, restructuring involves the regions ■ and the neighbourhoods — everyone. But this Government does not believe in this. "There is no sign of devolution of power and decision-making within Government departments. There is every sign of continuing centralism in this Government’s philosophy. It reduced thp powers of community committees in 1976 and the National Parks Bill (now before the Lands and Agriculture Select Committee) is a triumph for central government bureaucracy, as is the Urban Transport Bill. “Nor are there any signs that this Government has the willpower to reorganise territorial local government to face the challenge ahead. The Local Government Commission is at the stage where regional plans are' all but complete. But try as I

might, I can find out nothing about when they plan to return to reorganising territorial government,” Dr Bassett said.

“Partly this is due to the Local Government Commission being put into hands of Tory rebels who don’t believe in the Local Government Commission. But it’s also due to a paralysis of willpower in Government.” Dr Bassett also criticised the levels of Government funding of the arts and sport. The Government contribution to the Arts Council had failed to keep pace with the rate of inflation, he said.

“This year. the increase was about 6 per cent in a year of 18 per cent inflation. That means, in real terms, a cutback. “The only thing that has prevented an outcry has been, shameless use of Lottery Board funds for political purposes, without a contribution from the Lottery Board of about 15 per cent (or $1.2 million) of total lottery profits, the arts would collapse. As it is both opera and regional orchestras have reached a pretty pass. “It is impossible to see how they could have succeeded in keeping their head above water with the proposed grant this year that was no bigger than last year’s.” Dr Bassett said it was not good enough that the New Zealand Sports Foun-

dation had to make do with such a small Government grant and was “forced out into the marketplace to undertake such demeaning fund-raising ventures as the recent Jim Beam scheme which — even if it is a complete success — will leave the foundation strapped for funds that could be used to assist New Zealand athletes needing more overseas competition.” “It is not good enough when the Council for Recreation and Sport sees its vote rise 10 per cent in a year when inflation is 18.4 per cent,” he said. • * A properly-funded sports policy, some from Government, more from the Lottery Board, and permission to undertake their own national lottery, will be essential parts of Labour’s approach to sport,” Dr Bassett said.