Refit debate continues

Press, 23 September 1988, Page 6

Refit debate continues

By

GLEN PERKINSON

in Wellington

The Government was berated last evening for “pulling the rug” from under the Christchurch tenderer for the Southland refit. The Opposition took the Minister of Defence, Mr Tizard, to task for his performance over the refit and for playing “cruel tricks” on Sinclair Melbourne and Company, the tenderer. Mr Tizard retorted that two Opposition members who visited the Sinclair Melbourne plant had “heard a tale of woe from an unsuccessful tenderer.” The two members were Mr Maurice Williamson, of Pakuranga, and Mr Philip Burdon, of Fendalton. Mr Williamson said the Government knew it was not going to give the refit to Lyttelton. He had a copy of the refit tender contract that said Devonport in Auckland could not manage the contract and that the refit “had to be considered as a whole.” Mr Tizard said that initially the Devonport dockyard did not have the time or room to do the refit because it was committed with the refit of H.M.N.Z.S. Canterbury. “But then it was seen that a little bit of room could be made at Devonport” after the tenders were called for, he said. The member of Parliament for Sydenham, Mr Jim Anderton, also called on the Minister to grant Lyttelton the Southland refit. Mr Tizard could give no assurance to Mr Anderton. Mr Anderton said unemployment on Auckland’s North Shore was 1.5 per cent of its workforce and Canterbury’s was more than 9 per cent; jobs created in Canterbury by the refit were vital to its economy.