New M.P. attacks secrecy

Press, 26 September 1980, Page 5

New M.P. attacks secrecy

PA ' Wellington Secrecy in government was causing widespread alarm, the new member for East Coast Bays, Mt G. T. Knapp (Socred) has.said in his maiden speech in Parliament.

Speaking before a public gallery of about 60 Social Credit supporters, some resplendent in the league’s green and gold rosettes/he said there was a genuine concern and belief. that all government information was public information, “that if a price is negotiated with a multi-national group for (the use of a raw material. 1 ' that that price is public information.” . ? '

This secrecy raised the wider issue of accountability. The accountability of the Cabinet was' fundamental to democratic government and yet there were frequently examples of. the system’s failing. ■ < A recent example was the

way a Minister had managed to evade many, questions in Parliament on his actions as , Minister on the ground that a Commission of Inquiry was in progress on the subject. Pursuing this controversial vein'and, thereby,, continuing the, trend away from ;the -.traditional non-contro-versial maiden speech, Mr (Knapp said accountability was also an issue when Government- members declined to highlight inadequacies in their Ministers. -The decision-making process was also a cause for concern, with questions being asked about whether the right people were being consulted or whether all points of view were being considered. Two recent decisions had left him with “a feeling of alarm.” < One was the announcement by the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) of increased

.Auckland Harbour Bridge. ! tolls only hours before a. 1 crucial by-election even > though information backing? : that decision had been in his? ' hands since March. Mr Mui- ? ; doon had failed to consult? the senior members of Par--liament of the North Shore; and had not discussed the: decision with the- Harbour ' Bridge Authority. Mr Knapp said that the' National Development Act.'i the National-Parks Bill, and! the State Services Conditions! of Employment Bill alii threatened the rights of the! individual- in one form or another. “When taken as a whole,! they add up to a frightening? expose of a Government; hastily railroading legislation that it feels will help to! bypass the checks and balances of previous legislation in order to achieve a physically spectacular facade of apparent progress and sol

tiding 'to power that it i i cherishes at all cost,” he 1 > said. ‘' ;' In the final analysis it was ;1 this ability to force through legislation with little more /than token arguments in the /face of the ritual of organised (opposition that was the most (glaring facet in the Parlia(mentary system. > ( Hi? believed that the public (was firmly of a mind to alter ■the (face and structure ,of (Parliament whether members (of Parliament liked it or not. ( “There is a strong prevailing feeling that the Opposition should have more i effective power, that this (power would be best expressed by way of a third (party in Parliament, and that a more responsive consensus ■government would emerge: that it would lead to more reasoned debate, curb Executive power, and restore real authority to this chamber as la whole,” Mr Knapp