Mr Minogue to wait and see

Press, 27 April 1983, Page 1

Mr Minogue to wait and see

PA Wellington The rebel Government backbencher, Mr M. J. Minogue, is again holding out against proposed Government legislation — this time over the Motunui outfall controversy. The Prime Minister, Mr Muldoon, asked his caucus at a special meeting last evening whether they were prepared to support legislation to secure the water right for the Waitara effluent outfall and, it was hoped, solve the Motunui outfall wrangle.

Mr Muldoon told reporters after the meeting, “I. have four Labour Maori members and I now, as a result of caucus, have enough support to pass this bill.”

However, not all caucus members had given their support, he said. Mr Minogue told NZPA last evening that he would not approve or disapprove legislation until he had seen a draft bill and had the answers to certain “elementary” questions.

Last week Mr Muldoon received an assurance from the four Maori Labour members of Parliament that they would vote for the legislation if it enshrined the proposals over the Motunui synthetic petrol plant

made to the Government by Te Atiawa people. Te Atiawa want the proposed Motunui outfall scrapped and effluent from the plant sent to Waitara. Mr Muldoon said the only way the wishes of Te Atiawa could be met was to bring in legislation to secure the Waitara outfall, which expires in December.

Mr Muldoon said it was essential that a constant water right be guaranteed for the plant to avoid its being in default of its loan agreement. That loan agreement, of up to $l7 million, was the biggest of its kind in the world, and could not be risked, he said. “My principal concern ... is that we do not find ourselves in default of this loan agreement,” he said. That was the “essential reason” for undertaking the proposed legislation. Mr Minogue said he had suspended judgment until he had adequate information on which to make a decision.

He said he had “indicated to the Prime Minister and caucus that I am not prepared to make decisions on the basis of the kind of briefing we had in caucus.”

Mr Minogue emphasised that he had not given a final

yea or nay to the proposed legislation and said he thought “the Prime Minister may be assuming certain things he is not justified in assuming. I have not said no yet.”

The attitudes of the Waitara Borough Council, the local United Council and the Taranaki Catchment Board should be ascertained before a decision was made, he said.

There was indication last evening of dissension from other caucus members.