No coalition — P.M,
PA Wellington Labour's leader (Mr Rowling) said last evening that if Social Credit held the balance of power after Saturday’s General Election it would inevitably mean another election. The Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) ruled out the possibility of a National-Social Credit coalition.
Social Credit’s leader (Mr Beetham) said his party would not use the balance to bring down the government of the day, but would try to reduce the level of confrontation and party bickering in Parliament. The three leaders made their comments in a television debate.
They were asked their approach if Social Credit held the balance of power. Mr Rowling said: “I think
inevitably this hypothetical situation, if it occurred, would drive the country back to an election. The Prime Minister indicated earner that he did not imagine he would have an accommodation with Social Credit. “If the Governor-General asked me under such circumstances to form a government, in the inability of the National Party. I would be bound to discuss the question with Mr Beetham. I think I would be bound to for the electors. “Whether we could find any common ground in terms of a coalition I do not know. It would have to be a firm agreement from Social Credit that they would simply go along with the government, not that they would be there as some kind of spare part.” Mr' Muldoon said. “If it
were io haopen the range of permutations is really quite wide. We would not see a National-Social Credit coalition because Social Credit today is much closer to the Labour Party than it is to the National Party in its policies and. 1 think, philosophy.”
Mr Beetham said: “There is a very distinct possibility that we will hold a balance of responsibility. If we do we will exercise it responsibly. “We will not use it to bring down the government of the day. From our point of view, no good purpose would be served in doing so because as far as we are concerned one is equally as bad as the other.
“We would use out position as balance-holder to try to reduce the level of confrontation and party bickering in the House.” ■
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Press, 23 November 1981, Page 1
Word Count
366No coalition — P.M, Press, 23 November 1981, Page 1
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