Criticism of Gandar appointment dismissed

Press, 6 March 1984, Page 8

Criticism of Gandar appointment dismissed

Wellington reporter Criticism of the appointment of a former Cabinet Minister, Mr L, W. Gandar, to a second key post within the social welfare system has been dismissed by the Minister of Social Welfare, Mr Young.

Mr Gandar is chairman of

the Social Advisory Council which advises the Government on social issues.

He has also been appointed chairman of Social Sciences Research Fund Committee, which approves the funding of social research projects and is the main purse for social science research in New Zealand.

As well as being claimed as an indication of a lack of Ministerial confidence in the committee, critics of this dual appointment say it shows that ventures funded must be “politically sound.”

Critics predict that future funding is likely to concentrate on general social welfare matters such as families and children.

They claim it may lead to

the lopping off of research into housing problems, unemployment, cultural minorities, social conflicts and inequalities, and the gap between rich and poor. But Mr Young denied that Mr Gandar’s appointment had anything to do with putting a “political gloss” on social science research.

It was very useful to have a link between the two committees, especially as the Fund Committee had represented on it many different disciplines whose work and insights should be available to the Social Advisory Council.

A lot of advisory council advice to the Government would be based on what social science research had shown, he said.