Govt ‘stands accused’

Press, 12 May 1981, Page 3

Govt ‘stands accused’

PA Wellington i The Government was ye-?, sterday accused of hypocrisy f and cynicism in its attitude towards the Springbok tour by the president of the Labour Party (Mr J. P. Anderton) in a hard-hitting speech' at the opening session of the party’s election-year annual conference. He said that the Government stood accused of hypocrisy because it campaigned in 1975 in support of sports contacts with South Africa. “Its political support for the subsequent All Black tour of that country in 1976. caused the mass walkout of ’

black African nations at the .Montreal Olympics,” Mr Anderton said. “It campaigned in 1975 and 1978 on non-interference in sport, and yet it brought the most unrelenting pressure to bear on our own athletes to stop them competing at the Moscow Olympics. , “It pays lip-service to the Gleneagles Agreement, but will take no practical action to enforce it as it is bound to do by that agreement. That is hypocritical.” Mr Anderton said that the Government’s cynicism was even more sinister. “The Prime Minister (Mr

Muldoon) and the National Government really want this tour to take - place. They really welcome it as an Election-year diversion from the economic and social wasteland they have made of New Zealand. The issue now will be law and order,” he said. “I. believe that this Government has always planned to allow this tour to proceed, and I make an urgent plea to any last vestige of honour and moral courage the present Government may possess in the name of all that is important for a united multi-racial

community such as New Zealand and our international reputation — call off this tour.” Attacking what he called “the armchair, so-called liberals of the party — the Minogues, Warings, Shearers, and Talboys” — Mr Anderton said: “If their Government does not stop this aberration of a football tour, and they haven’t got the guts to resign, at least they should have the decency to shut up and spare us all their empty rhetoric.” His call for the tour to be cancelled earned a big ovation from the conference.