Lyttelton M.P. tells of education pitfalls

Press, 2 October 1987, Page 5

Lyttelton M.P. tells of education pitfalls

By

PETER LUKE,

political reporter

Dangers existed in taking an excessively vocational or utilitarian approach to education and especially universities, said the member of Parliament for Lyttelton, Dr Peter Simpson, yesterday.

He told the House in his maiden speech that New Zealand universities were already under-funded compared with similar countries.

“I suspect our attitude to research is also liable to the error of the shortterm view.”

“If it is good for economists to persuade us of the merit of the longer view, it is also good for economists to be persuaded of the limitations of a short-term, myopic, user-pays approach to the value of research.”

The economic pay-off of research might not come for years, but without it New Zealand would not achieve the technological breakthroughs that could give the edge over economic competitors.

“And if we do not foster a liberal and expansive approach to education in the humanities, we are in danger of finishing up ignorant of the world and of ourselves.”

In his speech, Dr Simpson, also said that his electorate had a strong tradition of Labour members of Parliament dating back to its first member, James McCombs.

He paid tribute to his predecessor, Mrs Ann Hercus, but also referred to “her contribution to the mythology of the Chatham Islands.” Her retirement raised serious questions about

the demands of political life, Dr Simpson said. The biggest challenge confronting Lyttelton was the restructuring at the port. It was important that the interests of workers, employers and users at the port were considered at all times.

Dr Simpson noted as well that important changes were in the offing for Chatham Islanders. These included a new deal at the meat works, a new county rating system, and consideration of the replacement for the service ship Holmdale.

He would visit the Chathams for the first time later this month.

“I will be working closely with the islanders to see these changes realised and to ensure that they retain a voice in government,” Dr Simpson

said. Lyttelton strongly supported the Government’s anti-nuclear ship policy. He said that New Zealand had moved beyond a form of colonialism to a more assertive and independent stance in the world. Labour had made a concession to, capitalism by giving the market its freedom. The party’s predecessors were reluctant to make this concession.

“But we insist on a concession in return,” Dr Simpson said. “The concession we demand is the necessity for the State to intervene to distribute incomes and services in an equitable way which the market cannot deliver. Our place in history will be measured by the degree to which we succeed."