Parties slated on industrial policies

Press, 19 November 1981, Page 12

Parties slated on industrial policies

The “total inexperience of the Social Credit Party or the absolute subservience of the Labour Party to the trade union movement makes neither of these parties fit to govern in terms of industrial philosphy.” said National’s candidate for Fendalton. Mr Philip Burdon, at an election meeting. Mr Burdon told an audience of about 80 that trade unions in New Zealand were not the government. “They are not elected by the people and as long as the National Party forms the government they will not be permitted either to make the law or flout the law,” he said. He said that he supported the trade union movement as having a very necessary role to play. His reputation for hardline suspicion of Trades Hall and certain leaders of the F.O.L. arose through his criticism of the “arrogant lack of concerp that certain of the militant unions in particular show for the innocent victims of their strike action.” The State and contemporary unionism had “enormous power to coerce and control”' the individual; Mr Burdon said. ■.

“These are the forces 1 distrust and see as the real threat to the qualities of individuality and self-reli-ance which-1 regard as the foundation of the New Zealand character. “I belong to the section of the National Party committed to a return to a more free-enterprise philosphy and a greater commitment to individualism.” Mr Burdon said that he saw himself particularly as a spokesman for manufacturing, professional, and commercial interests which were the basis of National Party support in Fendalton. “These interests receive no sympathy from Labour or Social Credit and in every other National-held seat in the South Island are secondary to other more dominant rural and semi-rural interests; and because of the occasional conflict of objectives, do require a concerned and forceful representation from someone familar with these problems.” he said. “The Fendalton electorate is the only truly urban National-held seat in the South Island. We are statistically a marginal seat. We

are the only National Partyseat in Christchurch, he said. “It would be disastrous to have single party representation in Christchurch. The lack of progress in Timaru and Dunedin during the last 50 years must be seen as a sad* and depressing example of what sole Labour Party representatives can do for a city and a community.” said Mr Burdon.