Socred policies redrafted

Press, 28 August 1980, Page 3

Socred policies redrafted

A proposal to revamp superannuation is expected to be one of the main topics at Social Credit’s four-day conference at Lincoln Colle? About 300 officials, delegates, and observers gathered last evening at the colege for registration and a social, opening the confercall to replace “national superannuation” with “New Zealand superannuation” and to have superannuitants means-tested until the age of 65, are among the changes proposed for the League s social welfare policy. This is the first time since 1974, that the League’s policy has undergone a major redraft. Since February senior party spokesmen _ have been rewriting, simplifying, and updating existing policy. ■■ Branches have already seen the draft changes and voted on the remits. The redrafts come mainly in the social welfare, energy, and education policies. Economic strategy and financial policy,

the core of Social Credit’s policy has undergone little change in the redraft. A call has come for a "sound social welfare policy,” embracing more than just income maintenance including an emphasis on preventative social welfare measures, and a guaranteed basic minimum income.

The policy calls for decentralisation of the Social Welfare Department. There is a proposal for a feasibility study to be made for transferring benefit payments from the Social Web fare Department to the Inland Revenue Department. Another is that social welfare administration, accident compensation, and national superannuation schemes be pulled together into one “integrated social welfare system.”

A new departure for Social Credit will be a social

welfare family policy. The draft proposal calls for a minimum-living family income, taxation relief an other measures to bolster the family unit as “the most important factor in promoting a stable community.” The energy policy will ask for. a change in emphasis, away from liquefied petroleum gas for domestic and transport use. This would be a major change in policy as until now, Social. Credit advocated the use of L.P.G. for transport. Another proposal is to discount -the price of electricity for South Island domestic and industrial users. A suggested pre-amble for Social Credit’s finance policy

has been put forward. The aim is to promote a new and more responsible approach to economic management in New Zealand “to restor balance to the economy,

confidence to the nation, and jobs to the people.” Social Credit is obviously trying very hard to break the image it has of being the “funny money” party. Finance, was only a small part of Social Credit policy, and in that area the party would see very little change, said Mr G. A. Clover, a news media liaison officer. No doubt there will be a display of unity at the fourday conference as Social Credit gears up for the East Coast Bays by-election. The candidate for East Coast Bays, Mr G. T. Knapp, polled well in 1978. Business sessions at the conference will begin this morning. The party president Mr S. Lipa will give his address tomorrow and the leader (Mr B. C. Beetham) will speak to delegates on. Friday. The conference will finish on Sunday.