Freeze repeal sought

Press, 8 September 1982, Page 1

Freeze repeal sought

PA Wellington Labour's spokesman on consumer affairs, Mrs Ann Kerens, will today cap a concerted attack on the Government’s wage-price freeze regulations with an attempt to introduce repealing legislation in Parliament.

While Opposition members yesterday directed a series of questions at the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Templeton, on the effectiveness of the price freeze, Mrs Hercus gave notice of her intention to bring in the Wage-Price Freeze Repeal Bill.

She said later that she was “asking Parliament to decide — Parliament did not introduce these regulations, they were introduced by Minister-, ial decree when the House was not even sitting."

Parliament had to judge ■‘whether this freeze is economically sensible, socially equitable and, most importantly, the answer to inflation.”

A public opinion pollhad indicated 70 per cent of: the community at least “are extremely astute — they know that a wage-price freeze is not a permanent attack on inflation.”

Mr Templeton was questioned in the House at length about the price freeze, and asked to deny that he had said a “price curb” was .in force. .

“We have a wage-price freeze in the battle to curb inflation,” he said.

The Labour Party “seems to be engaged in an orchestrated campaign to undermine the wage-price freeze,” Mr Templeton said. .