Canterbury Nat. groups opt for Mr McLay

Press, 9 March 1984, Page 1

Canterbury Nat. groups opt for Mr McLay

By

MICHAEL HANNAH

Parliamentary reporter

The Minister of Justice, Mr McLay, is favoured by Canterbury - Westland National Party electorate organisations for the deputy leadership of the party. The five members of Parliament from the region have all been told by their electorates that Mr McLay would be their choice in any run for the deputy leadership, which is widely expected to be vacated by the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Maclntyre, this weekend.

Members received urgent messages this week from Wellington calling them to the capital in the last two days. They have all been attending the annual round of branch meetings in their electorates recently, and it is known that branches have told the members of Parliament who they believe should be backed as the new deputy.

The local members affected are Mr P. R. Burdon (Fendalton), Miss Ruth Richardson (Selwyn), Mr D. F. Quigley (Rangiora), the Postmaster-General, Mr Talbot (Ashburton), and Mr D. L. Kidd (Marlborough). Although electorates have no say in the choice of a deputy leader, which is left entirely to a Parliamentary caucus vote, their expressions will carry some weight as they inform members of Parliament of the candidate who has most ap-

peal in their areas in an election year. Although another likely contender for the post, the Minister of Labour, Mr Bolger, would also be acceptable to local electorates, it is believed that Mr McLay’s appeal lies in an image electorates believe could offset the present appeal of the New Zealand Party.

Mr Maclntyre is due to attend his electorate’s annual meeting on Saturday evening, after attending branch meetings over the last fortnight, and he is expected to indicate at the meeting his intention to stand down at the General Election.

A two-day caucus meeting will be held on March 14 and 15 in Wellington and, as the Prime Minister, Sir Robert Muldoon, will be back in New Zealand and

chairing the meeting, it is expected that the deputy leadership will be voted on. Lobbying has been brief but intense in Wellington, but likely candidates to emerge are Mr McLay, Mr Bolger, the Minister of Energy, Mr Birch, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Cooper. Outside chances are regarded as including the Minister of Transport, Mr Gair, and Mr Quigley, although Mr Quigley is known to have little support among backbenchers. Some members of Parliament arrived in Wellington on Wednesday unaware that lobbying for the deputy leadership had started, but they had soon worked out their choice.

Mr Birch, though known to be a favourite of Sir Robert’s, may lack the necessary caucus backing because of his strong identification with the “think big” projects. The present mood appears to favour a younger man, unaffected by recent issues, but with an image that could, as one member put it, “draw back what we have lost.”

The Press Association reports that East Cape National Party members are awaiting a possible announcement on Saturday that their member of Parliament, Mr Maclntyre, will retire.

Mr Maclntyre, aged 68, has said he will let his electorate know first whether he will retire from Parliament

Mr Quigley, page 4