P.M. accused of ‘coming the heavy’

Press, 12 August 1985, Page 5

P.M. accused of ‘coming the heavy’

By

CHRIS PETERS,

NZPA staff correspondent Sydney The opposition leader, Mr McLay, has accused the Prime Minister of “coming the heavy” with Pacific Island leaders who disagreed with him over nuclear issues. He told the New South Wales Liberal Party convention on Saturday that Mr Lange’s actions were the same sin he accused the United States of in relation to New Zealand over A.N.Z.U.S.

Mr McLay said that last week Mr Lange had threatened to cut off foreign aid to the Cook Islands when the Premier, Sir Tom Davis, suggested the Cooks would like to develop a more independent foreign policy. “In so doing, (Mr Lange) committed precisely the sin that he accuses the Americans of in relation to New Zealand—coming the heavy,” he said. Mr Lange was also reported to be at the centre of a political split with Vanuatu, and of “pressuring a Pacific Island leader.” “Again not a good ex-

ample of regional co-opera-tion,” said Mr McLay. He said that New Zealand’s whole nuclear ships policy had been implemented with a total disregard for the implications other countries—the South Pacific States, Australia, the United States, and the whole of the Western Alliance.

“A dangerous self-indul-gence is certainly the only way to describe it,” he said.

As a result of the Labour Government’s policy, nearly half the Pacific Forum States were now prepared to accept visits of nuclearcapable United States Navy ships, which would increase super-Power rivalry in the region.

“As a result of the A.N.Z.U.S. row the Americans will want to upgrade their presently minimal diplomatic representation in the region, and they will also probably become the major gatherer of Intelligence in this part of the world,” he said. “There’s no doubt the Soviet Union will endeavour to match these activities.” Mr McLay stroked preju-

dices on both sides of the Tasman in his speach. In his opening remarks he reminded the Australians that Sydney was, on a population basis, New Zealand’s fourth largest city—“even if a fair proportion of it seems to be concentrated in Bondi.”

He then went on to make references to the under-arm bowling incident of several years ago, and the more recent New Zealand sheep drench commercial which also bucketed Australians.

In emphasising close Tasman ties, Mr McLay gave the Liberals a history lesson, reminding them that New Zealand had once been governed from New South Wales.

He told them New Zealand's first governor—Hobson—had been given his commission from Sydney, and that James Busby, the first British resident in New Zealand, after planting the first grapes there to become the father of the New Zealand wine industry, had later repeated the effort in Australia.