P.M. ‘seeking turmoil’

Press, 16 November 1981, Page 6

P.M. ‘seeking turmoil’

PA Auckland The Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) seemed to want New Zealand embroiled in industrial turmoil as "the grand finale to his election propaganda scenario,” said Labour’s shadow Minister of Labour, Mr E. E. Isbey (Papatoetoe), yesterday. Mr Muldoon appeared to be “returning to his tantrums” with absurd allegations that unions- were putting off disputes until after the election, Mr Isbey said. Mr Muldoon attacked militant trade unionism at election meetings at Hastings and Masterton last week, asserting that industrial action was being held over until after the election and that militant freezing workers’ unions were pricing the members out of a job. Mr Isbey said, “We have

the curious spectacle oi Mr Muldoon being enraged beacuse there is not enough industrial strife for his electoral advantage as unions refuse to rise to the bait. “As predicted, he seems desperately to want the grand finale-to his election propaganda scenario to end with the country plunged into industrial turmoil while the voters go to the polls in a highly charged atmosphere.” It was no surprise that Mr Muldoon and the National Party wanted to divert attention from the sad state of the economy by using the “old hat” scare of “Reds under the bed.” “I am sure that the employers and the unions will respond with responsibility and common sense and ignore this blatant election ploy,” said Mr Isbey.