P.M. comes under fire

Press, 7 March 1984, Page 16

P.M. comes under fire

PA Wellington

The Prime Minister’s international grandstanding looks as though it is drawing to a close, said the Labour Leader, Mr Lange, recently. New Zealand could only hope that Sir Robert Muldoon would now be able to spend time at home dealing with pressing economic and social problems “which he is largely responsible for,” Mr Lange said.

“Even he admits that his grandiose conference proposal is dead, in spite of the amount of taxpayer money that has been lavished on

it.” It was amusing to note that the Prime Minister now conceded “his little collection of vague proposals and ideas” for changes to the international monetary system could be dealt with by the existing institution and forums, he said.

“I proposed this course of action six months ago. His package of changes never required new institutions — changed policies of existing ones was all that was required.”

As there were full-time representatives at those bodies the Prime Minister

should instruct them to pursue his proposals. Mr Lange said he could then get on with his job of dealing with rising unemployment, big Budget deficits, growing external deficits and the postprice freeze world when wages were still frozen. “These are tough issues that require much hard work and attention. International grandstanding has purely been escapism for the Prime Minister. Now that he’s failed overseas he must face the discordant music at home. There’s no escape from that mess,” Mr Lange said.