Desire to ‘strangle’ P.M.

Press, 24 February 1986, Page 5

Desire to ‘strangle’ P.M.

By

TOM BRIDGMAN

NZPA staff correspondent Washington

The Australian Liberal member of Parliament, Michael Hodgman, says he would like to “strangle” the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, for the “irreparable damage” he has done to the security of New Zealand and Australia.

Mr Lange is regarded by United States officials as "an eighteenth century English fop,” he says. America gained its independence in the 1780 s by fighting a war against such types, Mr Hodgman observed after talks in Washington with United States officials.

Mr Hodgman, an outspoken member of Parliament from Tasmania and a former Minister in the Feaser said

that after a day’s briefings at the Pentagon and State Department. “I came out feeling enraged at the behaviour of Mr Lange. “I had to come here to fully appreciate the enormity of the New Zealand bans. If I could get my hands on Mr Lange now, I would strangle him. I’m as angry as that.” Mr Hodgman would not identify the officials to whom he spoke in the State and Defence departments, nor would he say precisely what was said. However, he said he had been able to get excellent access because of what he said was a personal relationship he had developed with the VicePresident, Mr Bush, whose staff worked with the Australian Embassy to arrange high-level meetings.

Mr Hodgman said in a statement to go with his comments that the New Zealand Prime Minister "has a lot to answer for.”

“Sadly my worst fears about the damage he has done to A.N.Z.U.S. have been confirmed.”

Mr Lange had behaved in an "intolerable” and “completely unacceptable” manner.

“It is one thing for Prime Minister Lange to jeopardise the national security and defence of his own country — I find it intolerable and completely unacceptable when his actions jeopardise the national security and defence of my country," he said. "Mr Lange keeps saying that he wants A.N.Z.U.S. to survive — yet he is the first Prime Minister of New Zealand (since

A.N.Z.U.S. was formed) who has still not visited Washington. “He appears unwilling to even sit down and discuss the matter — man to man — with the President of the United States,” Mr Hodgman said.

“Since the A.N.Z.U.S. trouble blew up, I have hoped against hope that the damage would not have been too bad. But it must be emphasised that A.N.Z.U.S. is a tripartite defence treaty — it is like a three-strand cord. When one strand is removed greater strain is placed on the remaining two strands.

“For everybody’s sake, it is hoped that Mr Lange comes to his senses and now works to restore A.N.Z.U.S. The A.N.Z.U.S. alliance is absolutely vital to the defence of Australia,’’ he said.