Cabinet appointments win acclaim

Press, 26 July 1984, Page 3

Cabinet appointments win acclaim

PA Wellington I i The allocation of port- i folios to Labour’s 20-mem- I ber Cabinet won acclaim « from interest groups yester- | day. I The pairing of Messrs 1 Stan Rodger and Kerry Burke, in Labour and State < Services, and Employment ’ respectively, was welcomed i by the Federation of Labour, the Combined State 1 Unions, and the Employers’ ' Federation. < The president of the j F.0.L., Mr Jim Knox, said

that he had been in no doubt that Mr Rodger would get the Labour portfolio, although he was a “little concerned” that it had not gone to the former industrial relations spokesman, Mr Eddie Ebey. Mr Rodger was the kind of person who would work well with the trade union movement, Mr Knox said. “He is a man I have known for a number of years since he was president of the Public Service Association at one time. “He is a man with a great

deal of patience, a man who will listen, and a man who will want to communicate with the trade union movement.” The president of the Employers’ Federation, Mr Garry Tait, said the appointments of Messrs Rodger and Burke were not unexpected. The federation would extend its full support for the difficult job the new Ministers had, Mr Tait said. The secretary of the Combined State Unions, Mr Ron Burgess, was also pleased at

Mr Rodger’s appointment His only reservation was the combining of the Labour and State Services portfolios, because of the heavy workload which . would result. Teachers and education groups were enthusiastic about the appointment of Mr Russell Marshall as Minister of Education. All emphasised their confidence in his commitment to consult, something they said had been missing in his predecessor, Mr Wellington. “Mr Marshall is the sort of personable but firm politician who will bring a sense of dignity and maturity to the office,” said Mr lan Powell, executive officer of the School Committees’ Federation. The secretary of the Police Association, Dr Bob Moodie, was "quite delighted” with the appointment of Mrs Hercus as Minister of Police. “We did not believe we would be so lucky,” he said. “The police service is really at the crossroads at the momenent and what we need now is very firm policy and someone who is a tough fighter in the background to get the police the resources they need.” Mrs Hercus was intelligent, articulate, and progressive, he said. The triumvirate in the finance area of Messrs Douglas, Prebble, and Caygill seems to have also drawn largely favourable comment. The Chambers of Commerce executive director, Mr Peter Wakelin, said it had had regular dialogue with Messrs Douglas and Caygill for two years. It was a misconception that the business community could not work with a Labour Government — “it is often just the reverse. "There is no doubt about our ability to work in harness with Messrs Douglas and Caygill,” he said. The Retailers’ Federation and Consumers’ Institute have welcomed the appointment of Mrs Margaret Shields to the Consumer Affairs portfolio. Calling the move innovative, the federation’s executive director, Mr Barry Purdie, said he just hoped the new Ministry would not become a substantial bureaucracy. Arts administrators were generally favourable in their reaction to Dr Peter Tapsell’s appointment as Minister for the Arts.