Guarded view on policy

Press, 8 March 1984, Page 3

Guarded view on policy

Parliamentary reporter

The Labour Party has given a guarded response to a suggestion from the leader of the New Zealand Party, Mr Bob Jones, that the two parties co-operate on a written constitution. Mr Jones said he would approach the Labour Party hierarchy to propose a joint endeavour. He said a written constitution was a key plank in the New Zealand Party’s policies, and he was delighted to see the Labour Party had firmed up on similar policy with a Bill of Rights proposal.

“The issue is of sufflcient importance to justify ‘depoliticking’ it, for with Labour and the New Zealand

Party’s different terminology there is a potential danger of public confusion,” Mr Jones said yesterday. He also hoped the Auckland Law Society, which was involved on a similar proposal, could contribute as well. Mr Jones said the New Zealand Party probably had more lawyers and academics than any other party and their input would be valuable. Equally, the party had the utmost respect for Mr G. W. R. Palmer’s knowledge in this area. “I would like to see this become an apolitical issue and will propose that the New Zealand Party and Labour form a joint work-

ing committee to produce a common policy which both can include in their election manifestos,” he said. Mr Palmer said he could not commit the Labour Party to a joint working party, as this would have to be discussed by the party’s executive. Nor would he be able to discuss the matter with Mr Jones next week, as he would be in Canada looking at a recent experience of a Bill of Rights.

Mr Palmer said he was pleased to see Mr Jones make a positive response to Labour’s Bill of Rights proposal. Labour had had such a policy in 1981, and a new policy extending the previous proposals would be announced on April 2.