‘Late night sittings could kill’

Press, 4 October 1982, Page 1

‘Late night sittings could kill’

PA Wellington The Acting Leader of the Labour Party and the Prime Minister clashed yesterday over the Government's running of Parliament, with Mr Lange claiming that late night sittings could lead to the death or serious illness of members. In statements. Mr Lange accused the Government of "almost unbelievable ineptitude” because it would have Parliament sit late right up until Christmas, while Mr Muldoon dismissed the assertions as “ridiculous.” Mr Lange said already two Labour members, Mrs Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan (Southern Maori) and Mr R. W. Prebble (Auckland Central), had,been seriously injured in car accidents which involved serious fatigue. "If these absurd sittings continue they will lead to death or serious illness among members — and some of the weaker members of Cabinet could be prime candidates,” Mr Lange said. Mr Muldoon said there had been fewer late night sittings this year than normal, and that in the last Labour Government Parliament once sat for three days without a break to pass the Labour Superannuation Bill. “If Mr Latige finds the relatively light sittings that we have had this year phsyically exhausting, I suggest to him that it is his own physical condition that is at fault and he should seriously consider whether in fact he is in the right occupation, 5 ’ Mr Muldoon said.'

Mr Lange criticised the fact that the Estimates debate had not been started until October — the latest they had begun in 10 years. “Parliamentary debate on Government Estimates is meant to be a check on spending public money. Most of these funds will have been spent, without any Parliamentary scrutiny, well before members are allowed to debate them,” he said.

He suggested that Parliament should begin in February and the Estimates be debated at the beginning of the financial year. Mr Muldoon said Standing Orders required the Estimates to be debated over 16 days, and this year would be no different.