N.Z. invitation not affected by tour — Fraser

Press, 27 March 1981, Page 1

N.Z. invitation not affected by tour — Fraser

The Australian Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, has ruled out the possibility of excluding New Zealand from the Commonwealth Games at Brisbane if the proposed Springbok tour of New Zealand goes ahead.

' Mr Fraser told the Australian Parliament yesterday that the question of the Commonwealth Games did not belong to one nation but to the Commonwealth as a whole, reports the Press Association from Canberra. It was not tradition to take action to exclude nations from the Games. Mr Fraser was replying to an Opposition backbencher, Mr Charles Jones, who asked for an assurance that New Zealand would not be invited to the Commonwealth Games at Brisbane nor to the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting at Melbourne in October this year if the Springbok tour proceeded. Mr Fraser said he did not think • this action would be helpful at all. Mr Fraser said it was significant that the New Zealand Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) had said within the last few days that he did not want the Springbok tour at all. Mr Fraser called on the Opposition to co-operate on the “difficult and sensitive” position regarding New Zealand’s participation in the Games. The Press Association reports from Wellington that Mr Fraser’s Parliamentary comments came about the same time as Mr Muldoon in Wellington made it clear the New Zealand Government would resent any Australian attempt to influence its policy on the tour. In a written statement, Mr Muldoon said the New Zealand Government’s re-

action to such an attempt would be exactly the same as that of the Australian Government if the situation were reversed “We are elected by the people of New Zealand to govern New Zealand. The Australian Government is elected by the people of Australia to govern Australia.” Mr Muldoon said the allegations of an attempt by the Australian : Government to influence the New Zealand Government’s policy had been denied by both governments. He repeated that he believed the tone used by the President of the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa, Dr Abraham Ordia, while in Australia was moderate by comparison with his attitude four years ago. “I am sure he understands that any decisions in the matter of sports contacts between black Africans and New Zealand will be taken by the Governments of the black African countries and not by sports administrations. “They differ in that respect from New Zealand,” Mr Muldoon said. The New Zealand-born Queensland Premier, Mr Joh Bjelke-Petersen, told the state Parliament yesterday that he would hot tell Mr Muldoon to call off the tour. New Zealand’s politic- were that country’s business and fears of a boycott of the 1982 Games were not justified, he said. However those countries which chose not to come

because of the Springbok tour were within their rights/' “We cannot force them to come,” said Mr Bjelke* Petersen, in reply to the Opposition leader, Mr Edward Casey, who had suggested that the Premier urge the New Zealand Government to stop the tour. ' “I will not tell New Zealand what to .do,” Mr Bjelke-Petersen said. The tour issue continues to be the subject), of editorials by Australian newspapers. The “Sydney Morning Herald,” in its second editorial on the . subject in two days, said Dr Ordia had .been careful and diplomatic rather than frank in his public statements. “In being less, than frank he has had one end ii. view — a laudable one —and that is not to make the situation of New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Mr Muldoon, any more difficult than it already is as he tried to distance himself from his election promise that the Springbok tour would take place,” it said. The “Australian” said Mr Fraser was • rightly wary of interfering in New Zealand’s politics but hoped New Zealand would “get the message.” The Brisbane “CourierMail” said that at this stage there was no reason for the city to despair. “Given good sense, the threat to the Games may pass. Hopefully, good sense will not be in short supply on either side of the Tasman,” it said.