N.Z. export growth vital, Selwyn meeting told

Press, 10 November 1981, Page 11

N.Z. export growth vital, Selwyn meeting told

Export growth held . the key to business and employment opportunities, said the National Party, candidate for Selwyn, Miss R. M. Richardson, at Rakaia.

Speaking at a Joint meeting for the three Selwyn candidates, Miss Richardson said growth in exports and in the economy were the top priorities of the National Party. Jobs would follow from an improved effort in exports and in the economy. A 40 per cent increase in exports in the last five years had taken place under National,-she said. That effort had to be improved. The Government’s third important priority was fuel self-sufficiency. It had chosen developments which would give the greatest self-suffi-ciency in fuels in the shortest possible time. New Zealand had been dictated to by the Middle East and could not afford to depend on other countries for fuel. “We do not have the luxury of time,” she told the audience of about 80.

For the people of Rakaia, the Government’s growth strategy would mean a higher standard of living and more job opportunities. The Rakaia River offered many possibilities, including salmon farming, recreation, a hydro-electric capacity and irrigation. It was important that the community became involved in making decisions about the river. Developing the Rakaia was an issue that must rise above party politics. A balance must be struck between development and conservation.

“It is hypocritical to say you want jobs if you are not prepared to talk about harnessing the river,” she said.

The Government must concentrate on the creation of wealth, which would bring jobs and a higher standard of living. The opposition parties could suggest many ways of spending money. There were always noble causes for spending, but "we must restore the incentive to get on with the job and create wealth.”

National was the only party equipped to run New Zealand and to represent Selwyn, said Miss Richardson. Labour promised less tax, but did not reveal the effect of its proposed surcharge on foreign exchange.

It would mean an import tax of about 20 per cent. For each job in the country $2OOO worth of imports were required.

Social Credit was the “against” party, she said. “We hear a lot about what it is against, but not what it is for.”

National was the only party with its feet firmly on the ground. It was interested in important principles such as freedom in sporting contacts, individual freedom, and private enterprise.

The Social Credit candidate, Mr J. D. Gribben, told the meeting that support for Social Credit had grown “immensely” in Selwyn because off the successive failures of the Labour and National governments to solve the economic crisis. For many families this crisis was reflected by unemployment. During the last five years with a National Government inflation had averaged 14.7 per cent, which meant that the cost of living doubled every four years. Under the last Labour government inflation was 12.4 per cent, which doubled the cost of living every five years.

“There is not much between them if you judge by results,” he said. Many things in small towns were “crying out” to be done, including drainage, water supplies, sewerage, and roads. Those jobs were not being, done, yet there were 60,000 “personal tragedies” .through unemployment in New Zealand.

“Labour is our most valuable resource. We have the materials. The only thing we lack is Government initiative and the money to do the job,” he said.

Social Credit could find the money to do the job from the same source that now funded the Government deficit.

There was no doubt the economy was “cracking up” and the Government was trying to wallpaper over the cracks.

"This year's deficit is $2OOO million. No housewife, no farmer can live on the never never like this Government is doing,” he said.

National’s policies were all in the future. Both Labour and National had blamed the oil crisis for their failures. But every country had to cope with the oil crisis, and most had done better than New Zealand.

“Inflation remains the main problem after a decade of promises,” he said.

The National Government was undemocratic, said Mr Gribben. It was elected by a minority vote and its policies had been approved three

years • ago by only tour people out of io. "For all its pious hopes what has done to repair the . real problem? It is only the power game — anything to stay in power," he said. Democracy was talked about in New Zealand but did not exist. The freedom which above all else had meaning to the individual was economic freedom. “The freedom to have a job, a farm, a business enables us to afford to enjoy all the other freedoms,” said Mr Gribben.

The Labour Party candidate, Mr W. E. Woods, said that New Zealand faced the most important election it had ever had. Whichever party gained the treasury benches would shape the future of New Zealand until the turn of the century. New Zealand had come to a fork in the roads. Once a path had been chosen, there would be no turning back. “I believe it is frightening because if we travel the road we are travelling now, we will undoubtedly regret it for a long, long time,” he said.

Labour governments had always stood for full employment. New Zealand was in “exactly the same” position it was in 50 years ago. It was then that the old Rakaia electorate was represented by a Labour member.

"We have seen unemployment go from 10,000 to 70,000 officially, and we know full well that there would be 100,000 people seeking work. Are we prepared to believe a Government that says it will create 400,000 jobs in the next 10 years?” he said.

If New Zealand continued on its present path the things which had happened in the last six years would become socially acceptable. These included unemployment, the increased cost of living, and the growing gap between the rich and poor.

These made people become frustrated and violent and led to an increasing crime rate.

“We are prepared to concentrate primarily on one issue: that is to get New Zealand working again. We belieive it can- be done and the Labour Party has done it before,” he said.

Answering a question later in' the meeting, Mr Woods said Labour would have failed if it had not solved the unemployment problem after its first 18 months in office.

He said Labour had no hesitation about getting extra revenue from a surcharge on foreign exchange to offset a tax cut. People were New Zealand’s most precious resource, and

overseas funds were a scarce resource. . <

The tax system : was “grossly unfair” and working people had “no hope” with the present Government. A tax cut for workers was well overdue.

Selwyn was the most exciting electorate in the South Island, with its fertile plains, scenery, fishing, horticulture, and potential for forestry. “We have got to develop it, and it has not been because we have never had a member of Parliament who was prepared to work for it. The reason is that it has always been a safe seat,” he said. Mr Woods was cheered when he said he was the only candidate who was prepared to say: “I am almost totally convinced that the Rakaia must remain a wild and scenic river.

“If we can find alternative water sources we must use them regardless of the cost.”

Some people were looking only at the short-term economics of developing the Rakaia and not at the longterm value of the river, he said.