Mr Lange criticised on TV time statement

Press, 28 June 1983, Page 17

Mr Lange criticised on TV time statement

PA Wellington The Social Credit president, Mr Stepan Lipa, has criticised the Labour Party leader, Mr Lange, for saying that he did not want the third party to have equal free television time for next year’s General Election. Mr Lipa said that it sounded as if Mr Lange favoured a move towards some type of repressive State if he ever became Prime Minister. “For a party that is supposed to support democracy, equal opportunity, and free speech, this (Mr Lange’s statement) is a direct turnround of that policy,” Mr Lipa said. “This is of course not the first time Mr Lange has tried to turn round official policies.” With Social Credit slipping in the polls, Mr Lange said last week that the Broadcasting Corporation could no longer justify giving that party the same amount of free television

time as the two main parties. Mr Lange advocated a change in corporation guidelines to the system of free coverage allocated on the number of seats won in the last election. But Mr Lipa said that any party which put up a “full ticket” of candidates should get equal television time and this principle was reflected in the simple laws of natural justice.