THE PRESS SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 1980. Politicians’ tours overseas

Press, 9 August 1980, Page 14

THE PRESS SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 1980. Politicians’ tours overseas

In seeking approval in principle for an overseas trip, the Leader of the Opposition was following a well established practice in preparing for a trip. Once a trip has been approved in principle. detailed planning can begin. In this instance, Mr Rowling could have sought appointments and had some confidence that he could keep them. When he applied to the Prime Minister, Mr Muldoon, for the approval in principle. Mr Rowling did. not receive it. Mr Muldoon also linked further discussion of the matter to Mr Rowling’s past criticisms of Prime Ministerial trips abroad. The incident not only appears very petty minded but it also appears to . attempt to introduce other conditions for the approval to be given by the Prime Minister to the one trip at public expense allowed to the Leader of the Opposition each year.

Under normal circumstances the most relevant factor for a Prime Minister to-concern himself about is the destination of the Leader of the Opposition. Apart from being responsible for the expenditure, the Government of the day may be pursuing important foreign policy or trade policy aims with another country which could be thwarted easily by a Leader of the Opposition who had not been made aware of them. Normally approval should be given whatever the destination. According to the letters made available this week, Mr Muldoon had no objection to Mr Rowling’s intended destinations—-the countries of the of South-East Asian Nations. It.is very hard to avoid the impression that Mr Muldoon was conducting the exchange on the basis that Mr Rowling could, go abroad if he promised not to make derogatory •remarks about the Prime Minister’s own. missions overseas. < •

In times past politicians and others have been -greatly given to jibes about “globetrotting”- by Ministers. Happily, such jibes are heard more rarely these days. After all, politicians should know as well as anyone that New Zealand is an • isolated country but still a world

trader. Many decisions taken in other countries affect this country greatly and it is necessary .to - travel to have a voice in conferences and other negotiations. Mr Rowling knows all this better than most. It is a pity thaKhis remarks hark back to less enlightened days. He certainly . invited some rejoinder. Nevertheless; it is not for the Prime Minister to link political criticism with approval for what had all the appearance of being a legitimate tour by Mr Rowling. .

Mr Rowling commented on the fact that the Prime Minister has remained Minister of Finance as well. It is true that Mr Muldoon is the first Prime Minister to have held the finance portfolio since 1954 when it was relinquished by Mr (later Sir) Sidney Holland. The finance portfolio has entailed Mr Muldoon in a certain amount of overseas travel, but so did the portfolio of foreign affairs, held by some Prime Ministers; including Mr Rowling himself, in the past. It. may be argued that the Minister of Finance is important for the running of the affairs of the country, especially these days. Another part of Mr Rowling’s criticism probably relates to the Muldoon style of Government. There is little doubt that the Prime Minister likes to be involved in every important Government decision and that his Cabinet is reluctant to act without his presence and approval. While overseas, the Prime Minister keeps himself closely informed bn business at. home. Mr Rowling’s comment undoubtedly reflects some of ' the. frustration of the Opposition which has tried to debate certain financial issues without the presence of the man who makes most of the decisions. That, however, is a separate issue. Although politicians are expected to try to score points off one another, Mr Muldoon’s conduct in this affair —even though he has now said that Mr Rowling may go—does not become a Prime Minister. He had other ways of making his point which would not have made his rejoinder to Mr Rowling’s ill-advised remarks look so petty.