No animosity as Anderton steps down

Press, 23 March 1988, Page 8

No animosity as Anderton steps down

By

BRENDON BURNS,

political reporter !!.. i ■ .■

Sydenhamfs member of Parliament, Mr Jim Anderton, stepped down as chairman of Parliar iment’s Foreign! Affairs and Select Committee 'yesterday, saying that he and the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, bore each other no personal animosity.

-As he spoke, Mr 1 11 Lange’s !staff prepared a ■ [ press statement [ saying [ that Mr} Anderton had I agreed to resign because : he breached a caucus .j: understanding. I | I .. ’ ! i ■ Pencarrow's I Labour |] member!of Parliament of I i seven months, Ms Sonjal ■ [ Davies, was elected as the [ new chairman of *he' . I] select committee at .an! I early-evening meeting. [j Mr Anderton read a[ . prepared statement to the) committee' saying hisl resignation was at the re-[ i I; quest of the Prime Minis-1 ; [! ter. ; "(He) has made it clear! i that my t espousal of; !' alternative economic poli-j cies 'to those; 1 being! ! followed by the i Govern-! ■! ment makes me unaccept-' able as I a chairperson jof ; any Parliamentary | select committee or caucus com-' mittee in any area of policy.”! ! ' i Mr Anderton (said his credentials of long-term] commitment to foreign (policies were not seen as being the issue! j involved. ' That analysis was diffi-

cult .! to accept.! He had little choice but to! resign. “There is no. personal animosity surrounding this issue, either on my part or, as far as I have experienced it, on the part of the Prime Minister. . !-H' “It is one of policy, not personalities.’’ i I Mr Lange said Mr Anderton had been' asked to resign not because his views were contrary to the Government’s but because he indicated he did not! consider 1 himself, bound by a caucus agreement. ! ! Referring to the recent extended caucus meeting in Ashburton, Mr Lange said this 'resulted in a clear understanding on consultative procedures and a collective commitment to them. . Mr Anderton’s corn-, ments on the' economyhad breached 'that commitment, said Mr. Lange. “Under those circum-. stances it is not appropriate that Mr Anderton continue to hold an important - Parliamentary position which requires him to

have the confidence of! the Government caucus.’’, i Ms Davies said she wanted to carry on the work the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee had begun. "I am particularly anxiious that Jim Anderton stay , on this committee because he was one of the instigators, for example, of the overseas aid inquiry.” I She declined to comIment on the circumstances surrounding Mr iAnderton's resignation. [ T “I’ve got nothing more !to say,” said Ms Davies. I [. The Leader of the Op- ] [position, Mr Bolger, a! [committee member, said' [the forced resignation was! I scandalous. '• “He clearly was forced! to resign by the Prime, Minister and I think! that cuts across the structure:! of the select committees. It is a sad day for the [New Zealand Parliament.” ; Mr Bolger said he had nominated his colleague, i Mr Doug Graham (Remuera), for the chairman}' ship of,the committee. | ■ ■ ’ i