Ms Wilson calls for party unity

Press, 30 August 1986, Page 8

Ms Wilson calls for party unity

By

MARTIN FREETH

in Wellington

The president of the Labour Party, Ms Margaret Wilson, set out yesterday to turn discord over Government policies into a party virtue. In a keynote address to the party conference Ms Wilson acknowledged anger from the party’s Left, articulated four of its specific concerns, and invited, delegates to confront the Government on them.

Some party members had started to feel alienated and "a little shellshocked” by the Government’s rapid changes, she said.

Her address drew its loudest applause when Ms Wilson argued that loyalty to Labour should not be blind loyalty. However, the president’s main call was for unity on the basis of Labour ideals to ensure victory at the next election.

Ms Wilson sought to

bridge the tensions over Government economic, industrial and State sector policies by recalling a tradition of debate within Labour over ends and means.

The Government retained the traditional aims to ensure the dignity of individuals through an active State to promote full employment and social services to benefit all, she said.

“We have survived and gained strength as a political party because we have remained true to our principles and have been willing and prepared to change our means of achieving those principles and objectives,” she said.

The previous Government had pursued policies leading the New Zealand economy towards financial disaster, Ms Wilson said.

The social security system had been run down, minority rights stifled and the democratic process disregarded.

The Government had

freed markets as a means of generating economic growth by which Labour’s principles could be fulfilled, Ms Wilson said. Nevertheless, she warned that reassurance was still needed that full employment remained the end of present policies.

Tax reforms had also not been explained well enough while the party members saw State sector restructuring as a direct threat to Labour principles.

Ms Wilson pointed to industrial relations reform as one of the main questions feeing the Government and urged the conference to argue clearly against the present ideas of labour market flexibility.

However, she based a call for ultimate unity on the prospect of a National win which would mean a return to "New Zealand’s equivalent of the dark ages.”

Those within Labour needed the support of each other to ensure a victory, she said.