Complaints rebound on Democrats

Press, 11 October 1986, Page 3

Complaints rebound on Democrats

By

OLIVER RIDDELL

in Wellington Complaints about the National Party backfired against the Democratic Party at the first formal meeting of the Electoral Representation Commission in Wellington yesterday. The Democratic Party complained about the inability of the National Party to represent both Opposition parties on the commission. It accused National of failing to consult and of bias against the Democratic Party, serving its own particular ends rather than trying to represent both Opposition parties. In spite of several verbal approaches to the president of the National Party to consult on the

nomination of a representative on the commission, no such consultation had taken place, said Mr Bob Stephenson, chairman of the Democratic Party electoral law committee. The National Party had usurped the rights of Democratic members of Parliament, he said, and the Government had acceded to that.

However, the chief executive of the National Party, Mr Barrie Leay, who represents both Opposition parties on the commission, rejected the claims.

He said the two party presidents — Mr Stefan Lipa, of the Democratic Party, and Mrs Sue Wood, of the National Party — had sat next to each other when the Queen opened

Parliament at the start of the year. Mr Lipa has suggested a meeting on the issue, Mrs Wood had agreed, and a date for a meeting hadbeen set. Mr Leay said Mrs Wood had flown specially to Wellington for this meeting but 30 minutes before it was due to begin Mr Lipa had advised that he could not attend.