Liberals show poorly

Press, 9 January 1986, Page 6

Liberals show poorly

NZPA staff correspondent Sydney The Australian Prime Minister, Mr Bob Hawke, and the Leader of the Opposition, Mr John Howard, will get an early test of the 1986 political waters in two state elections next month. Both Labour-governed« West Australia and Liberalgoverned Tasmania are going to the polls on February 8 and if there is one early loser, it appears to be the embattled Mr Howard. Even though his is the only Liberal state left in Australia, the Premier, Mr Robin Gray, has said al-

ready he will not ask Mr Howard to go to Tasmania to help him out. Mr Gray is a firm opponent of the sort of privatisation policies fostered by his national leader, and he already has ample evidence of what the policies and Mr Howard can do to a state party. Both were blamed for the Liberals’ shock poor showing in the South Australian election last month in which the Premier, Mr John Bannon, swept back to power. The impact of Mr Howard was such that Western Australia’s Labour Premier, Mr

Brian Burke, said in announcing his election that he would pay Mr Howard’s airfares, accommodation, and advertising if he would go to Perth during the campaign and push his privatisation views. Mr Burke leads his Liberal contender, Bill Hassell, by more than 20 per cent in the polls. In another feat of unfortunate timing, Mr Howard has this week again called for the Government to lift the ceiling it has placed on mortgage interest rates to allow banks to charge more for home finance.