What the M.P.s were saying Mr Talbot predicts tourism funds cut

Press, 22 October 1984, Page 2

What the M.P.s were saying Mr Talbot predicts tourism funds cut

Parliamentary reporter The Government would decrease the funding for the domestic tourism campaign from the $390,000 National had intended to spend on it to $lOO,OOO predicted Mr Rob Talbot (Nat., Ashburton). He also predicted that the Minister of Tourism, Mr Moore, would put forward “some stupid excuse” for the cut. Such an excuse might be that the money was not needed because, with devaluation, people could not afford to travel overseas and so they would travel within New Zealand. Mr Talbot said the Government had a negative approach to the development of domestic tourism.

Adoption Confidentiality of evidence was needed by the Parliamentary committee considering adoption legislation, said Ms Ruth Richardson (Nat., Selwyn). Claims had been made on behalf of women and particularly on behalf of birth mothers, that Parliament needed to test matters by receiving evidence from such women. This evidence was of a sensitive and compelling nature, and those giving it needed to have the evidence given in confidence, she said.

Rugby tour The prediction by the

Police Association on the level of violence against the planned 1985 All Black tour of South Africa needed to be treated with concern, said Mr Ken Shirley (Lab., Tasman). It had been predicted that the level of violence in 1985 would begin where the disprution of the 1981 Springbok tour of New Zealand had left off.

Mr Shirley said that such a tour would place an intolerable strain on the police and society at large, and he called on the New Zealand Rugby Union to consider these aspects carefully as well as the many other adverse aspects of such a tour.

Firm's success Mrs Margaret Austin (Lab., Yaldhurst) drew the attention of Parliament to the success of the firm, Versatile Garages, in western Christchurch in winning a Design Council “Designmark.” The quality of the product and the firm’s contribution to export earnings deserved congratulations, she said. Sympathy The nation sympathised with the secretary of the Electricial Workers’ Union, Mr Tony Neary, in his concern that some workers might have to wait nine months for a wage rise under the deal the Government had offered the Federation of Labour, said Mr Philip Burdon (Nat., Fendalton).

This was grossly unfair considering the rapidly escalating rate of inflation; predicted to be not less than 13 per cent by next March. He called on the Government to take urgent steps to contain inflation and to talk to all sectors of the economy as opposed to narrow and irrelevant dialogue with only the Federation of Labour.