B.B.C. puts questions to P.M.

Press, 29 April 1981, Page 3

B.B.C. puts questions to P.M.

PA Wellington The following is a full transcription of a 8.8. C. interview with the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon), broadcast on Radio New Zealand’s National Programme yesterday morning.

The interview was first broadcast on the 8.8.C.’s “World at One” programme on Monday. The interviewer is Brian Whitlake.

Interviewer: “Well, the New Zealand Prime Minister, Mr Robert Muldoon, has called on the New Zealand public to give Air New Zealand all the support it can. I spoke to Mr Muldoon at his home in Wellington, and I put it to him that this was a surprising thing to do in view of the Royal Commission’s findings which had been sent to the police. Mr Muldoon: “What I’m asking the New Zealand public to do is give their continued support to Air New Zealand, which they know and most people who know anything about airlines know, is one of the best airlines there is.” Interviewer: “You’re definitely not the best airline as far as the Royal Commission is concerned in terms of the way it is managed.”

Mr Muldoon: “The commission has made certain specific criticisms of the airline which, when the report was released, were denied by both the management and the board.” Interviewer: “Well, that is hardly surprising since the judge has said there was what he called an ‘orchestrated litany of lies’ by Air New Zealand witnesses at the commission.” Mr Muldoon: “Yes, he also said that there was no criticism of the board, and the board who are, each in his own right, top people in this country, have backed the management.” Interviewer: “You say that

the people of New Zealand should go on backing Air New Zealand in spite of the fact that the commission’s report has been referred by the Attorney-General to the police. So in the view of the Attorney-General there must be something to investigate.” Mr Muldoon: “It’s a necessary action by the AttorneyGeneral in that there are certain comments of the commission which could conceivably lead to action by the police. They are directed against individuals, not against the airline. You see, this is a British country, and when a matter like this comes up we let the. law take its course. I think you still do the same in Britain.” Interviewer: “Mr Muldoon, if there’s going to be a lengthy prosecution, how does Air New Zealand not only try and preserve its reputation, but how should it be managed during that prosecution?” Mr Muldoon: “Well, at the moment I think it will be managed in the normal way. You see I happen to know the airline very well. I know the people involved in it certainly and by that I mean the board, I mean the management, I mean the people who fly the aeroplanes, and the girls who serve the cups of tea and coffee. And they’re first-class people. I flew Air New Zealand from Tokyo to Auckland and then to Wellington as recently as last Sunday.” Interviewer: “Are you worried that this affair might be commercially damaging to Air New Zealand?” Mr Muldoon: “As a matter of fact I’m not, because most of the people in New Zealand know Air New Zealand as I do, and the reputation of the airline is such that it would survive any competition or even if there is no prosecution, what there is in this report.”