National gives alternative to economic policy

Press, 6 July 1985, Page 8

National gives alternative to economic policy

PA Wellington The leader of the National Party, Mr McLay, yesterday spelled out the party’s alternative approach to economic management. “The National Party’s future economic policies must be such as to get the Government out of business — and to keep it out,” he said in an address to the Auckland Life Underwriters’ Association. Mr McLay said National wanted to create consistent policies that gave the business community confidence to make long-term invest-

ment decisions, but the party would not support a return to the regulatory controls of the past. “Whatever may have been the need for them at the time of their use, they have no place in the economy of the future,” Mr McLay said. The party’s broad economic policies were: • To encourage development of those primary and secondary industries in which New Zealand had a comparative advantage in international trade. • To promote greater competition, efficiency, and

production in the home markets. •To restructure the labour markets — in essence, return to voluntary unionism. • To increase the efficiency and flexibility of capital markets. • To reduce Government functions that the private sector could properly undertake. • To reduce substantially reduce Government spending. • To make it clear the Government was very much in control of economic affairs.