S.I. movement ‘wrong’

Press, 12 August 1980, Page 6

S.I. movement ‘wrong’

PA'-. Auckland] Political independence fori the South Island, might be! “absolute nonsense,” .but the] grievances of South.lslanders] who felt, they suffered from! economic apartheid should, not, be underestimated, the; member of ' Parliament fori Lyttelton (Mrs Ann Hercus)] told the Auckland Rotary ; Club yesterday. The proposals of the South Island- Independence ' Movement ..for a, politically separate South Island were "absolute nonsense.”. Yet while the movement had got the solution wrong, it had the symptoms right. . I

I “Many South Islanders feel they are suffering from I economic apartheid. They ; feel they have separate and [less than .equal development,] I in a part'of the country! I which seems to be in danger; i of becoming a permanent ; backwater,” she said. | I The pressures of inflation! and unemployment, low in-1 vestment and nil growth were : not-only spread throughout New Zealand but were intensified in those areas which had not kept pace even in the good: times. Concentration on highly capital-intensive projects' with a lot of foreign owner-;

ship and little employment would not solve regional imbalance. “The present Government could be accused of fostering an ‘edifice complex.’ But as impressive as the Bill Birch memorial smelter or the Rob Muldoon ammonia-urea plant

| may .be, they are at best an expensive and diverting sideshow, and at worst, a dangerous turning the wrong way down a one-way street,” Mrs Hercus said.

More sheep, cows, deer and horticulture might not be as breathtaking as a second smelter but would pro-

vide more permanent jobs.!