N.Z. Party philosophy for conference airing

Press, 1 March 1984, Page 8

N.Z. Party philosophy for conference airing

By

MICHAEL HANNAH,

Parliamentary reporter The New Zealand Party's free-market philosophy dominates remits to be discussed at the party’s first national conference, to be held in Wellington at the week-end. The choice of remits for the conference leaves delegates and observers in no doubt, moreover, as to where the party expects to derive support for its policies. Remits with veiled, and not-so-subtle, references to the National Party and present Government policies litter the remit paper for the three-day conference. One remit in particular will tap delegates’ feelings, as it proposes that the word “national” be removed from the party’s rule-book because of its association with a “fast-fading political entity.” This remit is snuggled between others proposing the inclusion of “tolerance” among the party’s objectives, alongside '‘freedom”; and another prohibiting any party representatives from engaging in personal attacks against other people and in particular against political rivals. Party organisers could not say yesterday how many delegates would attend the conference, as names were still coming in. The party hoped, however,

to have four representatives from every electorate, or proxies acting on behalf of other electorates.

The three-day conference opens tomorrow morning, with consideration of the party’s constitution, rules and principles, and with remits on Maori representation and defence. If time allows, two further remits on housing and immigration are also scheduled. Remits propose the abolition of the Maori seats, while defence proposals include a purely home-defen-sive function for the Armed Forces, and the substitution of the present Armed Forces by a small, highly skilled, highly paid elite force carrying out territorial surveillance and civil defence. The latter proposal, which also advocates withdrawal from all alliances and the adoption of a neutral stance by New Zealand, is proposed by the party’s spokesman, Mr Bob Jones. The remit paper says that defence is not a salient issue in New Zealand’s affairs, but views expressed by the party’s founders have caused considerable public debate. Tomorrow delegates will be addressed by candidates for Tamaki, Birkenhead, Wellington Central and Papatoetoe, while two presidential candidates will speak. A party president will be

elected on Sunday from two contestants: Mr Malcolm McDonald, chairman of the Canterbury division, and described as a barrister and solicitor and former university lecturer now in private practice; and Mr Rodney Lewis, chairman of the East Coast Bays electorate, another barrister and solicitor also in private practice. At the end of the day, delegates will be told how the party’s finances will be organised. Saturday will be devoted entirely to economic issues. Remits include proposals to limit State involvement in commerce and exchange controls; repeal the 1982 Income Tax Amendment Act to restore “equality of opportunity ... for rural development,” opposition to the Meat Board national pool; a proposal that Air New Zealand be floated as a public company; and the removal of “subsidised equalisation costing of South Island electricity in the North Island and North Island natural gas in the South Island,” to be replaced by market forces. More than an hour will be devoted to an address on the need for a floating exchange rate system, to be given by Dr Ewen McCann, a senior lecturer in economics at the University of Canterbury. Eight other candidates, for Yaldhurst, Albany, West-

ern Hutt, Kaimai, Hawke’s Bay, Fendalton, Napier, and Island Bay, will also address delegates. A party, which organisers describe as “like everything else in New Zealand circa 1984, it’s compulsory,” will cater for delegates’ social needs on Saturday night.

The election of a party president will open Sunday’s proceedings, to be followed by debate on a variety of remits covering education, nuclear arms, foreign aid, health (a topic not yet covered in the party’s manifesto), censorship, adoption, voluntary unionism, prison skills, restitution by criminals, registration of mortgages, family benefits, and the domestic purposes benefit.

Employment is singularly absent from the remit topics.

Two more candidates, from New Lynn and Remuera, will adress delegates before elections are held for national councillors and policy committees. The party leader and

deputy leader will then be elected, provided the conference had not already adopted an earlier remit delaying this election until the party has 65 candiates. If an election is held, the leader will then address the conference and champagne will be issued to delegates to celebrate.