Studies to be public

Press, 27 November 1980, Page 23

Studies to be public

NZPA Wellington The Government has decided in principle to make public the reports of the inter-departmental teams studying industries. The Minister of Trade and Industry (Mr AdamsSchneider) said the reports would be released at the earliet appropriate stage and before they were considered by the Government.” The Government has until now refused to make the reports public, citing the confidentiality of some of the commercial company information in them and a wish to avoid premature and poorly informed debate.” The Government said that the reports were only interim think-piece reports by officials on which it had not yet made a decision. However, Mr AdamsSchneider said the Government had been forced to reconsider after the leaking of reports circulated confidentially to interested parties for comment and the somewhat negative coverage which tended to result.” The Government has also decided to refer several of the industry, studies now being made by departments to the Inti u s t r i e s Development Commission for completion. Mr Adams-Schneider said these would normally be released when the studies were referred to

the I.D.C. The commission’s procedures for public hearings would allow greater public participation and consultation in the process of formulating recommendations for Government action, he said. The rubber goods and tyre studies would be referred to the Industries Developmnt Commission immediately and those on the motor vehicles and electronics industries later. Mr Adams-Schneider said tlie decisions to release the reports, and to refer some of the studies to the 1.D.C.. were aimed at ensuring maximum public consultation and participaoitn in the industry study programme and increasing public awareness of what the Government was trying to achieve. I regard the programme as a key element in the Government’s drive to increase the efficiency and compethweness of the economy with the objective of improving the . standard of living of New Zealanders,” he said. Mr Adams-Schneider said the motor vehicle study would not be referred to the I.D.C. until after the Government had made a decision in favour of one of the three options for the industry’s future identified by the study team. . The I.D.C.’s job would be to formulate a plan of action to implement

whichever option the Government chose. The three options identified by the study team were to - m the status quo, to phase out motor vehicle assembly in New Zealand, or to retain the industty but increase its efficiency. The report of the studyteam was released publicly in October after parts of it had been leaked. Submissions on the report have been invited from assemblers, component manufacturers and unions by December 14. Mr Adams-Cchneider-said these submissions were still essential to help the Government decide which option was the best for the future of the industry. The rubber industry study would be .referred to the I.D.C. immediately, he said. "The I.D.C. is already involved in a major study ’ of the plastics industry. | There is a high degree of ! substitutability between ‘ rubber and plastic pro- I . ducts, and several big I companies manufacture j both. "It makes sense, there- ! fore, for ■ the I.D.C. to study both industries,” he said. Mr Adams-Schneider said the information which the study’ team had already compiled would be sent to the I.D.C. as reference material. But, he said, it was not proposed to release a study team report since, for a number

of reasons, only limited progress has been made ■ towards completing a report. The Government had recently decided to widen the radio and television industry study to cover the entire electronics industry. The report was expected to be completed byMarch. It would then be referred to the I.D.C. and released publicly at the same time. The I.D.C. would hold public hearings on the report and make final recommendations to the Government. Mr Adams-Schneider said decisions had not yet been made on whether to refer to the I.D.C. the studies which the 1979 Budget announced that departments would make of the footwear, glassware, starch, and margarine industries.