National referendum call on S.A. contacts

Press, 3 June 1981, Page 6

National referendum call on S.A. contacts

PA Wellington A national referendum on all contact with South Africa, including trade, was called for last evening by the Social Credit spokesman on foreign affairs, Mr G. T. Knapp. Responding to a suggestion by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Rowling) that there be a free vote in Parliament on the Springbok tour, Mr Knapp said the issue was not confined to a rugby tour. He said in a statement that it was apparent that the whole question of contact with South Africa, was being overshadowed by the Springbok tour. “It amazed me that nobody appeared to become very upset about the 80 per cent increase in trade with

.South Africa recently announced," he said. "All attention is being focused on our rugby contact. Our sportsmen and sportswomen are increasingly being used as pawns in international politics and foreign policy." Mr Knapp said he rejected totally this development. Il was “most undesirable.” Mr Rowling asserted that the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) was "plain frightened ' of a free Parliamentary vote on whether New Zealand should host the Springbok tour. He accused Mr Muldoon of not understanding the seriousness of the tour issue. Mr Muldoon said the call bv the Labour Party for a

free vote in Parliament on the issue was “a nonsense." It was “just another- gimmick.” Mr Rowling said later that Mr Muldoon's reaction was "a display of petulance' and defensiveness." From Auckland, the Press Association reports that- Mr J. P. Anderton, president of the Labour Party, said that Mr Muldoon kept' harking back to his caucus vote supporting the Gleneagles Agreement. •‘This, of course, was not a vote on the Springbok tour -and his reluctance to put the issue to a free vote indicates that he is terrified that a large slice of his caucus might vote firmly against the tour,” Mr Anderton said.