Conference will be test for Government

Press, 18 March 1988, Page 6

Conference will be test for Government

By PETER LUKE, political reporter The Government [will face ! a key test this weekend i when the Labour Party holds its first I regional conference fori the year!at Taumarunui. I Delegates representing electorates in the Waikato regidn will gather in) the central North Island town this evening amid growing signs that the rift between party and Government is widening. The regional debates last |vear were muted by the knowledge of a forthcoming election. With the election won. the I Government I has pressed ahead at a pace that! has horrified many partv members, and I will prompt! angry debate • in the conference round over the next six weeks. Recent attention j has

centred oh the State Sector Bill, and the famous breached (policy that the Government would negotiate with State unions before chariging pay-fixing arrangements. f i Party members can be expected to demand that the Government adhere to party policy. The State Sector Bill debate may be winding down, but could quickly be replaced with the more contentious issue of the privatisation of State assets. I Assurances will be demanded that trie traditional State role in education, | health, and social welfare will not be diluted! . [I )■ Debate I in these areas will be intensified by the knowledge that in the next few! weeks crucial reports on education and health will be released.

Two other trends will add spice to the first regional conference! Labour is trailing in public opinion polls, and unemployment, now standing at more than 100,000) is picked to increase 7 even by the Government. The ' central North Island provincial areas have been particularity hard hit by recent registered il uemploymebt figures. Concern about this issue has been given a sharper focus this week with the release of an alternative economic I policy by the member of Parliament for Sydenham, Mr J m Anderton. This has been sent to every ' Labour Party branch in New Zealand. At the same time, criticism* of key aspects [of Government policies lias

come from outside the party with the initial report of the Royal Commission on) Social Policy. With Its critical submission on the State Sector Bill, the party has shown it is prepared to break new! ground in publicly challenging the Government. 1;. 1

The I Taumarunui conference: will not attract the delegate numbers of the Auckland, Wellington or northern South Island regional conferences, but the . Prime Minister, Mr Lange, will attend.

It)is likely that in their reception of Mr Lange and | in their remits the Waikato delegates will show that the euphoria of last (August's election victory) is over, and hard questions will be asked of their elected members. 1