Call to show Reactions to poll mixed I.M.F. report

Press, 21 June 1984, Page 1

Call to show Reactions to poll mixed I.M.F. report

PA Wellington The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Lange, yesterday challenged the Government to release immediately the latest International Monetary Fund report on the New Zealand economy. “This is absolutely essential,” Mr Lange said. “The Government has ceased to govern. The public have a right to know the true economic situation and outlook before they vote.” Mr Lange said the Government had failed utterly in its responsibilities by not even presenting a Budget, in not providing vital information, and in not presenting economic policies. The Government had used the last of New Zealand credit with the 1.M.F., Mr Lange said. Any additional borrowing from the 1.M.F., which was a growing possibility given the deteriorating external account, would

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require consultations with it. It was important that the Labour Party and the public knew the I.M.F.’s view on the New Zealand economy, Mr Lange said. “The I.M.F. report would provide an independent and reliable assessment of New Zealand’s real economic prospects,” he said. “I predict that the report will confirm what Labour has been saying about the seriousness of this country’s economic situation.”

MICHAEL HANNAH

in Wellington A poll giving Labour a seven-point lead over National two days after the snap election was called was greeted with enthusiasm, and disbelief, by political party leaders yesterday. The poll also boosted the standing of the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Lange, five points to 18 per cent, compared with a drop of one point to 33 per cent for the Prime Minister, Sir Robert Muldoon. The poll, taken last Saturday by Heylen-“Eyewitness TV,” gave Labour 46 per

cent support, as against 39 per cent for National, 8 for the New Zealand Party and 7 for Social Credit. It was described as a “knee-jerk reaction” to the calling of the snap election, by the president of the National Party, Mrs Sue Wood. Mrs Wood said that conclusions should be drawn from political polls and the movement in polls only over a prolonged period. Asked whether National would have taken more comfort from a poll showing a more positive response to the snap election, she replied, “Our comfort is a sustained position in the polls over a long period of time, when we have held around 40 per cent.” “This is going to be a tough race and we would rather be running from this position than out front.” Anticipating the result of the poll, Labour’s president, Mr Jim Anderton, said ' earlier in the day that Labour had clearly bene-

fited from the decision to call a snap election. He particularly pointed to the campaign to enrol voters for the election as favouring Labour. “The reports we are receiving would indicate that the Prime Minister in particular, and the Government in general, have not been able to convince New Zealanders of the legitimacy of this election campaign,” he said. ■ “In a strange way, the Government’s deciding that people had only two days and making it really tough for them (to enrol) raised the ire of New Zealanders a little bit, and I think in fact there was a feeling that someone was trying to rob them of something.” Social Credit’s leader, Mr Beetham, said he “simply did not believe” the poll. “As far as the Social Credit figures are concerned, I simply do not believe they are accurate

and neither will a large number of people round the country,” he said. Mr Beetham said that the election campaign would “turn public opinion polls on their ear” and severely dent their credibility. The New Zealand Party’s assessment of its support also clearly differed from the latest poll. In a press conference yesterday afternoon, before the poll results were released, the party leader, Mr Bob Jones, claimed that the party’s own polls of over 500 voters in several electorates, showed the the New Zealand Party led in eight seats. These were Tauranga, Kaimai, the Bay of Islands, Pakuranga, Miramar, Waikaremoana, Hawke’s Bay, and Hamilton East. The party was also doing well, though was not ahead of its contenders, in seats such as Wellington Central and Ohariu, Mr Jones said.