Support claim by Mr McLay

Press, 28 February 1986, Page 1

Support claim by Mr McLay

By

PATRICIA HERBERT

in Wellington The Leader of the Opposition, Mr McLay, yesterday claimed public support for his criticism of the Speech from the Throne at the opening of Parliament He had accused the Government of insensitivity in including a reference to the A.N.Z.U.S. dispute which, he said, inferred that the United States and Australia rather than New Zealand were responsible for the impasse. Mr McLay said he had a number of calls since making the statement and that they indicated “a fairly widespread concern” about the passage to which he had referred. He also criticised the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, saying that Mr Lange’s likening of the comments on A.N.Z.U.S. this year to an A.N.Z.U.S. reference in the 1977 Speech from the Throne was “absolutely untrue.”

The 1977 statement said that the maintenance of close links for collective defence with New Zealand’s traditional allies was an Important aim and that the A.N.Z.U.S. pact was the keystone.

“I cannot see how Mr Lange can justify a claim that that is in any way controversial. It has been the policy of successive National and Labour Governments since 1951,” Mr McLay said.