Mr Quigley denies breaking Cabinet responsibility

Press, 18 June 1982, Page 3

Mr Quigley denies breaking Cabinet responsibility

PA Wellington' The former Minister of Works and Development. Mr Derek Quigley, does not believe he broke" the doctrine of collective Cabinet responsibility when giving the speech which led to his resignation being demanded by the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon). Interviewed on radio yesterday morning, he said that if he thought he had overstepped the mark he would have apologised - to his Cabinet colleagues, But, Mr Quigley said, “I'm not dead. I'm alive and kicking.” •■■■ ”■ .Mr Quigley, has been: told'

he will retairi the title, "honourable," given to all Ministers of the Crown. The title is normally retained by Ministers when they retire or in a change of government. Mr Muldoon said yesterday that he (lad recommended to the Queen that Mr Quigley also retain the title. Mr Quigley said in the interview that a spell on the back benches of.. Parliament would give him time to think about the problems facing New Zealand. He wanted , people to concentrate on important things, and hot trivia. Mr. Quigley sjJid he believed that Mr Muldoon tolerated dissent mwe than any

other Prime Minister in recent times. Others had been given more freedom than in the past. He said he did not think he represented the Right-wing “rump” of the National Party but said he believed there should be debate on whether the Government should dominates the economy in the way it was. He cited the fact that the Government had inherited a “take or pay” contract for handling Maui gas. The Government had to take the gas whether it used it or not and this had led to? its heavy involvement in ~a whole range of energy projects. In this* context the Crown was also the vendor for electricity supply. “My own view is that we should be less involved,” Mr Quigley said. New Zealand, he said, was an over-regulated society. "We have got a very high degree of Government intervention and I believe this does not allow the. economy to function properly.”

Distortions were created, as in the case of farming, which inhibited the ability of the society to meet its responsibilities to look after those unable to look after themselves.

Wellington Young National Party members have joined calls for Mr Quigley to remain in Parliament.

At an executive meeting on Wednesday evening they joined their Auckland counterparts in supporting him. Wellington’s chairman, Mr Alan Hunt, felt that Mr Quig-

ley was an extremely capable Cabinet Minister who handled his portfolios with understanding and skill.

“We believe a man with his abilities has a vital role to play in the National Party in the years to come.” The Wellington National Action Council, comprising representatives of all' the Wellington electorates, has also met and unanimously supported Mr Quigley. The chairman, Mrs Lois Cory-

Wright, said those present expressed their deep concern and disappointment about Mr Quigley’s resignation. Labour’s spokesman on finance, Mr R. J. Tizard, said that Mr Quigley’s views had led to his resignation from the Cabinet, but he had remained silent before the last General Election.

Mr Tizard criticised the confusion in the National Party over its economic philosophy. “It seems to be a part of a National Government programme of quibbling. Mr Quigley queries the ‘think big’ philosophy but distinguishes it from the general growth strategy,” Mr Tizard said.

“Mr Muldoon talks- of freeing up the economy while he increases the penetration of his intervention. The culmination was the interference with interest rates in 1981, the very opposite of support for free market activity,” Mr Tizard said. He said that Mr Muldoon was nothing but a persistent office-seeker who would adopt any expedient to remain in power.