Mr Rowling to show his ‘new look’

Press, 11 February 1981, Page 5

Mr Rowling to show his ‘new look’

PA Auckland The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Rowling) will present his “new look” to Aucklanders at a big party rally on February 24. Mr Rowling the “qualified economist” will be projected at the rally, where the first party shots in the 1981 .Election campaign will be fired. Accompanied by Ameri-can-stvle trappings — bigband music, -balloons/ and banners — Mr Rowling will occupy the. spotlight on the Logan Campbell Centre stage to talk about the problems of the economy and unemployment. The rally is aimed at giving Mr Rowling maximum exposure to Aucklanders, and will be followed later in- the year by others in Auckland as well as•-,• in other. parts of New Zealand. ‘ <Party/ strategists,- also see the rally as an opportunitv to show all New Zeala'nders the party

leadership' prpblems are over. “It is a show of solidarity if you tike,” said the party’s press officer, Mr Simon Walker. Party officials are taking the economist tag seriously. “Not many people know that Bill Rowling .graduated from Canterbury University with a masters degree in economics. )Ie subsequently lectured on the subject at the same university,” Mr Walker said. “We feel that he is far better qualified in the field than the present Prime Minister, Mr Muldnon," Mr Walker, said. Auckland • has been deliberately chosen as the venue for the rally, because the party believes that-it facesmost of its .challenges for the election in that, region;‘ ■ ‘ ' It is the home territory of Mr Muldoon, it is where Social Credit has

made giant strides, and it is where most of the Labour M.P.s who revolted late last year against Mr Rowling’s leadership live, “Some of our difficulties recently have not helped the; party, and we have to fight hard ■ to win back lost ground,” Mr Walker said. “By projecting Mr Rowling in this new image we are trying to get away from personality politics. We want to present him as less a symbolic leader than as one who is a skilful manager and co-or-dinator of a team,” he said. Mr Rowling ■ will be in Auckland for several days before and after the rally. In that time he will familiarise himself with some of the problems specific to Auckland. He will visit the Southdown freezing works, investigate the incidence of crime, and meet families affected by unemployment.