Proposed inquiry ‘nonsense’

Press, 14 March 1986, Page 2

Proposed inquiry ‘nonsense’

Wellington reporter The Opposition has described the proposed Royal Commission into social policy as "a nonsense.” If a political party that had been in the field for 50 years was unable to determine for itself what sort of social climate New Zealanders sought, it was not justified in calling itself a political party, said the Opposition spokesman on social welfare, Mr Venn Young. A Royal Commission sitting over a period of two years to make such a determination and then advise the Government to tell everyone what they already knew would sit at tremendous cost, he said. The Labour Government had already made up its mind on certain changes to health, social welfare, and education; the proposed Royal Commission was merely a method of selling change to the community. It was unfortunate the Government did not recognise that the rate of change to policy and administration of social services was so rapid that people were unable to comprehend what was happening to their lifestyle.