Govt urged to set itself three goals

Press, 11 January 1983, Page 20

Govt urged to set itself three goals

PA Nelson Labour's spokesman on constitutional affairs, Mr G. W. R. Palmer, has urged the Government to set itself three modest constitutional goals for 1983. The first was to show a real commitment to the rule of law by not hastily legislating out of existence court decisions which went against it.

The second aim should be for the Government to implement its basic policies by act of Parliament, not by regulation, and the third aim should be to reform Parliament.

Mr Palmer said that the courts took a “terrible pounding" at the hands oi Government legislation in 1982.

“The rule of law cannot stand another year like that,” he said.

The Clyde dam fiasco made a mockery of the rule of law.

"It exposed the Government's view in a brutal and direct way; that there is one law for citizens and another for the Government. “If the citizen relies on procedures laid down by an

act of Parliament and looks like winning against the Government. the fruits of the victory will be denied by legislation,” Mr Palmer said.