Labour pledges ban on S.A. sports

Press, 13 June 1984, Page 3

Labour pledges ban on S.A. sports

By

MICHAEL HANNAH

in Wellington

A Labour government would ban South African sports teams from New Zealand, but would not prevent New Zealand sports teams from travelling to South Africa.

Under policies announced by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Lange, yesterday, a Labour government would also sever official links with South Africa and swing New Zealand’s ties towards East Africa and West Africa.

Mr Lange pledged that a Labour government would close the South African consulate in Wellington, and ban the investment of Government funds in South Africa. Asked when the Labour Party would accept South African representation, Mr Lange said the closing of the consulate followed the United Nations General Assembly resolution of 1976. Until such time as the United Nations rescinded its resolution, diplomatic contacts with South Africa would remain closed, he said.

The party has promised to honour and uphold the

principles of the Gleneagles Agreement, to abide by its provisions, and not to permit the entry into New Zealand of sports teams from South Africa while that country practised apartheid. However, the party has also promised not to interfere with the right of New Zealanders to travel outside New Zealand. “It will be made known by the government in the clearest possible terms that sports contact with South Africa is contrary to the Gleneagles Agreement and damaging to the interests of New Zealand,” the party’s policy says.

New diplomatic posts would be opened in West Africa, most likely in Lagos, and in East Africa, probably in Dar-Es-Salaam. Labour’s associate spokesman on foreign affairs, Mr F. D. O’Flynn, said he would be surprised if these posts would cost more than $600,000 to set up. The cost would certainly be less than the cost of establishing the new post in Mexico, or the original cost of setting up the now-closed post in New Delhi.

The New Delhi post would be reopened as a full

diplomatic and trading post. Mr Lange said New Delhi was a “listening post,” on the edge of China and Asia, with close links to Africa.

“It is exactly the place New Zealand should be in, even if we sold them nothing and they sold us nothing,” he said. A Labour government would pledge to raise its development assistance to 1 per cent of gross national product, directing it specifically to carefully monitored projects that would enhance development among poor and rural dwellers in recipient countries.

Labour wouldd encourage, with a small initial grant, the establishment of a centre associated with a New Zealand university, for the study of development in Asia and the South Pacific. The party also promised to restore the tax-deductibility of donations to Corso, and to involve voluntary agencies in decision-making.

The party would abolish the $l5OO fee for private overseas students at New Zealand universities, and consider increasing access to New Zealand’s tertiary education programmes, as a component of the overseas

aid programme.

On Antarctica, Labour has promised to support its preservation as an international resource, free from conflict, military activity, nuclear contamination, and other environmental damage. The policy says the party recognises the value of the Antarctic Treaty system, and its achievement in protecting the environment and demilitarised status of Antarctica.

The party in power would ensure that no mineral exploration occurred in the Ross Dependency, unless New Zealand was fully satisfied that the most stringent safeguards would be met, and would not endanger the Antarctic environment.

Labour would support the continuation of New Zealand’s scientific efforts in the Antarctic region and facilitate joint scientific ventures with other States.

It would also support open international consultation and debate on any proposed minerals regime, and encourage other States to accede to the Antarctic Treaty. It committed a Labour government to participate fully and actively in the treaty system.