Price complaints total disputed

Press, 23 June 1984, Page 3

Price complaints total disputed

Labour’s speaker on consumer affairs, Mrs Ann Hercus (Lyttelton), has sent another 2300 individual grocery price increases to the Trade and Industry Department for investigation. She noted that the Minister, Mr Templeton, had claimed there had been only about 1700 price increase complaints.

But three complaints she had already made provided a real total on their own of 3600, and the actual number was plainly much higher than the Minister would admit, she asserted.

With food price increases escalating at the rate of 12 per cent, according to the food price index, Mrs Hercus said she was not surprised that the Minister was “not available” to appear with her on any public platform during the election, campaign. Luggate criticism The Government’s decision to fast-track the Luggate dam project shows its planning incompetence, Labour’s spokesman on works, Mr Fraser Colman, has said. The Cabinet had known for years that Luggate was part of a power plan and to have failed to start town and country planning procedures was inexcusable, Mr Colman said.

“The Minister of Works, Mr, Friedlander, is now seeking powers that would give the final say as to whether Luggate proceeds, and under what conditions, to the Government alone, and would thus nullify or override any recommendation by the Planning Tribunal.”

Campaign trail

Mr Joe Walding, a former

Labour Minister of Overseas Trade and member for Palmerston North, is going on the campaign trail with Mr Lange. Mr Lange had asked him to join his team, Mr Walding said. Mr Walding was member for Palmerston North from 1967 to 1975 and again in 1978-81 before returning to business. He said his role with Mr Lange would be as an aide and general campaign adviser. He would not comment on what part, if any, he would play in government if Labour won the election. Tourism budget

Labour’s spokesman on tourism, Mr Mike Moore (Papanui), has described the news that the Government is considering increasing the tourism promotion budget as “a deathbed repentence.”

The Minister of Tourism, Mr Talbot, had been asked only a few weeks ago what the Government intended to spend, and had been unable to give an answer. Now, the impending election had stimulated his concentration on the issue, Mr

Moore said. Labour had been emphasising tourism for months, and when in government would give it a realistic marketing budget. Rakaia scheme

The Rakaia River scheme could more appropriately be called the Ruth Richardson retention scheme, said the Social Credit candidate for Selwyn, Mr J. D. Gribben. Selwyn was a marginal seat, said Mr Gribben, and the announcement of the goahead for irrigation was in line with what was happening in marginal seats elsewhere.

In Otago, another mar-

ginal electorate, the Government had just announced that it would spend $1.9 million on irrigation maintenance and a new hospital for Queenstown, he said. “Electors should note that it obviously pays to live in marginal seats,” said Mr Gribben. Regulated rates Regulated interest rates are beginning to be the minimum rather than the maximum, Labour’s spokesman on finance, Mr Roger Douglas, has said. “In spite of months of effort and many sets of regulatons, rates as high as 17 per cent are being paid on commercial bills today — the highest yield permitted by the regulation,” Mr Douglas said in a statement. “There are reports of interest rates well in excess of this in the market — rates as high as 20 per cent.” Home buying

Buying a home should not involve financial hardship, according to Social Credit’s leader, Mr Beetham. Social Credit promised access to housing finance at low rates of interest, and home-ownership accounts would be extended to include inflation-proofing, exemption from tax, and a variable maximum deposit. For first home buyers, interest rates on new first mortgages would be set at a maximum of 5 per cent, and new second mortgages set at a maximum of 7 per cent. Repayment periods of loans would vary according to the borrowers’ ability to pay.

Plan for police

Social Credit has promised, as a matter of urgency, to remedy the situation of police that are understaffed, underpaid, and under stress.

The “neighbourhood bobby” concept would be emphasised and rural and suburban police stations reestablished.

Crimes against the person were far more important than crimes against property, and penalties would be -redrawn to emphasise this. There would be greater emphasis on restitution.

Poll forecast

Labour will win the election by 15 seats, the New Zealand Party leader, Mr Jones, has said. “National will be decimated,” he said. Of his party’s chances he said, “No-one would be surprised if we won Kaimai which has the second biggest National majority in the country.” Of his own prospects against the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Templeton, in Ohariu? “I won’t be putting money on myself,” he said. Agency withdraws The New Zealand Party’s advertising agency has withdrawn from the campaign. The Auckland-based Atelier Advertising was appointed to prepare for a November election.

It was to be its first foray into political advertising, but the company decided it could not abandon its commitment to existing business for the snap election.

List claim The New Zealand Party’s leader, Mr Jones, told a Tauranga audience of 850 that he had a list of prominent Wellington people who wanted to leave New Zealand if the Prime Minister, Sir Robert Muldoon, were re-elected.

They wanted to “get out” because of the economic situation and the country’s indebtedness. Mr Jones said he would not release the names on his list.

View on dollar

Mr Jones said the Prime Minister’s comment that it would be too costly to devalue now was a clear admission that the New Zealand dollar was grossly overvalued. “That is to the detriment of our economy. The farmers are bearing the brunt of this mismanagement,” Mr Jones said. He said the “bogus arbitrary State-imposed valuation of our currency is contrary to sound economics, is compounding our devastating foreign debt situation, is contrary to every economist’s view, and is economically dishonest.”

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