Hawke warns P.M. about criticisms

Press, 28 June 1983, Page 1

Hawke warns P.M. about criticisms

NZPA staff correspondent Canberra The Australian Prime Minister, Mr Hawke, yesterday warned his New Zealand counterpart, Mr Muldoon, to stop criticising his Treasurer, Mr Keating, and the Labour Government. The cautions came after his address to the National Press Club which reviewed the Government’s first 100 days in office. Asked about his views on the relationship between the two countries, Mr Hawke said they were embodied in the fact that his Government had quickly accepted and signed the Closer Economic Relations treaty. “The only hiccups that could occur are: there is a tendency across the Tasman by the Prime Minster for perceived domestic purposes to bag my Treasurer,” said Mr Hawke. “He is treading on very dangerous ground with that direction.-” Later, Mr Hawke took another swipe at Mr Muldoon when he noted that Mr Muldoon had taken the opportunity in his Parliament of “having a shot” at the Hawke Labour Government and saying to the people of New Zealand that they should not go for Mr David Lange and the Labour Party there “because they might do what we have done here.” “Now, I think it doesn’t make much sense to reciprocate, publicly,” said Mr Hawke. On Tasman ties and the “Anzac spirit” referred to by Mr Muldoon in his address to the National Press Club on Friday, Mr Hawke said it was inevitable that the two nations move closer.

Mr Muldoon said in Wellington yesterday that he had twice rebuked the permanent head of the Australian Treasury, Mr John Stone, in talks in Canberra last week. Mr Muldoon also told journalists he was a little disappointed with Mr Keating. He told a press conference that Mr Stone was more outspoken than Mr Keating at the meeting. The Treasury secretary made comments “to the point where I had twice to rebuke him and tell him that in my country, at least, the Government, not Treasury, makes policy.” Mr Muldoon also said that Mr Stone “preaches open market economics as he travels around the world and...is an extreme protectionist when it comes to Australia.” Mr Muldoon was summarising Cabinet discussions about his two-day trip to Canberra. One of the stumbling blocks in his talks there was the question of foreign investment. Asked how long a freeze on Australian investment in New Zealand here could stay in place, Mr Muldoon said it might be possible to get something moving before the August South Pacific Forum in Canberra, when he was due to see Mr Keating again. But, he said, “It is obvious that Mr Keating is not disposed to move away from the Treasury line. Unless he changes his mind we won’t make any progress.” Told that Mr Keating made the point that during his time as Treasurer he had rejected only two New Zealand investment applications, Mr Muldoon chuckled and said: “He’s only been there about three months.”