National Party policy

Press, 1 September 1982, Page 20

National Party policy

Sir,—l thoroughly agree with Mr Beetham’s comments about the Government's incompetence over economic policy. Part of the tragedy is that the Labour Opposition has not spoken up loudly and frequently about it. The present situation seems far worse than the state about which Mr Muldoon was so effectively vociferous in 1975. Indeed, this Opposition has also failed to speak loudly enough about the Government's increasing political deception. For instance, the country has just borrowed $l7OO million, with a reserve of a further $5OO million, for the sjmthetic petrol plant; yet Mr Birch still (“The Press,” August 71 quotes its cost as $767 million. Why does he do this except to deceive the public? The $767 million is actually in 1980 United States dollars, a currency which is not available to anybody in 1982. Is this why even the National Party acknowledges having lost middle class, professional support? — Yours, etc., R. HARMAN. August 30, 1982.

Sir,—As a farmer, I share Mr Minogue's concern over the $7OO million subsidy to the farming industry. The alternative is to devalue the New Zealand dollar by about 25 per cent. It would appear that the present Government prefers to use taxpayers’ money to subsidise our most important export industry in an effort to cover up the mess they have made of managing New Zealand. — Yours, etc., R. T. BENNETT. August 29. 1982.