‘Unalike pair’ on panel for defence hearings

Press, 6 December 1985, Page 2

‘Unalike pair’ on panel for defence hearings

By

MARTIN FREETH

in Wellington

Public hearings on defence policy will be held next March and April by a four-member panel who will include a former Chief of the General Staff and a prominent peace campaigner. The Government appointees to the panel, named yesterday, are Mr Frank Corner, a former Secretary of Foreign Affairs, MajorGeneral Brian Poananga, who retired as New Zealand’s top military officer in 1981, Dr Kevin Clements, a sociologist at the University of Canterbury, and Ms Diane Hunt, a scientist formerly with the D.S.I.R. The Prime Minister, Mr Lange, said the appointments had been made to ensure a wide representation of experience and expertise in the public comment phase of the Government’s defence policy review.

“You could not image two people more unalike than Major-General Poananga

and Dr Clements,” Mr Lange said. The review would not be credible without diversity of perspective, he suggested. The panel will hear submissions on a Government discussion paper to be released before Christmas, and will prepare a report by June.

Mr Lange said the report would not lead to a change in the Government’s policy to keep nuclear weapons out of New Zealand or its approach to the A.N.Z.U.S. pact. It was expected public submissions would cover the nuclear issue and although the Government review 1 would take account of these, it would also reflect Government policy, Mr Lange said.

He suggested the panel would make a positive contribution but the Government had the final responsibility to decide policy. The panel’s terms of reference are to receive and hear public submissions on the Government discussion paper, to question groups

and individuals who make submissions, to commission polls on public attitudes to defence and security questions, and to make a report which will be taken into account when the Government prepares its defence review.

Mr Lange said serving personnel in the Armed Forces would not be excluded from making submissions to the panel, and these could be made in public if individuals wished.

The panel’s report would be a public document, he said.

Mr Lange said he was particularly pleased that Mr Comer, who was one of New Zealand’s most experienced diplomats, had agreed to chair the panel. Mr Lange dismissed reporters’ suggestions that the panel’s composition was so diverse that it would have difficulty in writing a report. “They will put their own overlay on such data as come forward,” he said.

Dr Clements would be able to make a particularly

important contribution on disarmament . matters, which was one area the panel would consider. Mr Lange described him as a recognised proponent of anti-nuclear positions. “He also has a wide knowledge on international affairs, and particularly the problems associated with political and economic development.” Ms Hunt’s expertise in future studies and strategic planning would be of great help, Mr Lange said. She is on leave from the D.S.I.R. where she is director of the Policy Research Unit. Ms Hunt worked for the Commission for the Future in 1978 and 1979.

Mr Comer was Secretary of Foreign Affairs from 1973 to 1980. After retiring he served as Administrator of Tokelau until January this year. Previously, Mr Comer was the New Zealand permanent representative at the United Nations from 1962 to 1967, and Ambassador to the United States from 1967 to 1972.