Quick end sought to Government leadership crisis

Press, 18 October 1980, Page 2

Quick end sought to Government leadership crisis

PA Wellington The president of the National Party (Mr G. A. Chapman) yesterday appealed for a quick end to the leadership crisis facing the party. - Mr Chapman urged National . Parliamentarians to “resolve the leadership issue within the next tiLo weeks.” He said this was necessary in the interests of New Zealand and the party and sc that the Parliamentarians could give their' undivided attention to the problems facing the country. Mr Chapman’s statement followed up Thursday's challenge to the leadership of the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) at a party caucus meeting. The challenge was not pushed to a vote, but Mr Muldoon admitted that some National members wanted a change and that they were thinking of the Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Taiboys) as a replacement. Mr Taiboys, who is at present in Europe, cautioned caucus against making a leadership swap. But hesaid,' according to Mr Muldoon, that if caucus were determined to make a change “then 1 cannot refuse to serve.”

Mr Taiboys will return to. New Zealand late next week: Political observers believe the leadership issue will be revived when he gets back. One National member of Parliament said on Thursday evening , that the party had “unfinished” business. “I think that is the word to use.”

Mr Chapman said yesterday that the debate on leadership at the caucus meeting had not surprised him. “It reflects the concern expressed in the party organisation since the East Coast Bays (by-election) loss about the style of leadership and the direction of party policies.”

However. * Mr ■ Chapman said he. was surprised that the., caucus ; discussion: had been disclosed publicly. He said he could not remember it happening before. Mr Ghapman noted in his book “The Years of Lightning” released . last week, that when Mr Muldoon replaced Sir John Marshall as leader in mid-1974, the event was accomplished before the public was aware of it.

He did' confirm reports that the Dominion executive which met in Wellington on Wednesday, , the day-Mr-Mul-doon returned to New Zealand after a six weeks .oven; seas trip, had passed a-reso-lutibni on Mr Muldoon’s leadership. He would not disclose the contents - of the resolution, '/ J :■<. ■

•n Jt was; .a Dominion executive iesolutidn?; in' 1974 that triggered-- ;. Mr . Muldoon's. take-ove.r ;from Sir-;-John.7;?? : i,T

;In Parliament? yesterday, the : Opposition 4 'urged ■ .the Prime'.Minister, to resign or adopt: a . more tolerant attn tuHe; Tabling a notice of motion; the' Labour .member of:Parliament for . Papanui (Mt'M. ?K, Moore) ■said the House "understood” the dilemma of the National Party in’ terms- of its leadership. Mr Moore urged Mr Muldoon in the interest of- all New Zealanders, to put his country’s future above his own and resign immediately “or adopt Labour’s philosophy and policies of full employment, tolerance, and care.”

. Later, Mr Chapman said he had stated many times his belief tha’t Mr , Muldoon would lead the : National Party into the next General Election. “But if the mood is for change within the NationaT Party caucus I am sure that the Dominion council of the party? will not stand in the way of change.” - Mr Chapman said, however, that he had not canvassed the views of the council, nor did he intend to at this stage.

A press spokesman said it was “business as usual” for the Prime Minister yester-

day. He spent about half an hour in the House, working quietly on Ministerial papers at his bench.

Mr Muldoon was hot .in the House when Mr Moore read his notice of motion, which was greeted-with guffaw's of laughter from sev-eral-Government members of Parliament. About mid-morn-ing, Mr Muldoon left Wellington to fulfil- a diaried engagement, opening a cheese factory at East Tamaki; .? :

The press spokesman said the Prime Minister would carry out normal electorate duties at the week-end. Mr Muldoon • will be in Wellington until tomorrow evening or early Monday morning, when he will chair the, weekly Cabinet meeting., Ih an interview with the “Bay. of Plenty . Times” ,at Taiirhnga, Mr Chapman said the 1 National Party would rally behind Mr , Muldoon? if he-’did remain as- leader? “If caucus does decide on a change in? leadership, then 1 am sure- party loyalty would ensure support for a new leader. However,, party , support would rally: behind Mr Muldoon if he . remains •as leader,’’"■-Mr-Chapman .'said.

, “Cleairly .there -is : concern (over • leadership): throughout the National Party'-organisa-tion.”-. But,..he said;, a? change of leader would?hot : remove any of. the policy problems the party faced. . (The.. highest . priority. ,for the Government in. .the? <ext few months remained the same. It had to explain its new growth policies so that the electors understood them, Mr Chapman said. “It is entirely the Government’s fault that the policies have not been explained properly.” Mr Chapman said that while the policies remained unexplained, National would continue to have no more than a 50-50 chance of winning next year’s General Election. “Obviously, a lot of people will be worried by the events of Thursday,” he said. “However, there is much work for the Government to do, and so the sooner the leadership issue is sorted out, the better. When it comes to the future, New Zealand has no soft options. It must either go forward with good growth policies or revert to a peasant economy,” Mr Chapman said.