National launch drive for campaign funds

Press, 30 December 1988, Page 5

National launch drive for campaign funds

PA Wellington The National Party has launched a fund-raising campaign under a banner, National Pride, to ensure it can meet the cost of an election.

In a pre-Christmas mail drop, party chiefs have asked members for donations to the campaign fund, and highlight five issues they say will be crucial to the election. Members have been asked whether:

© State assets should be sold to New Zealanders and not foreign owners. ® National’s policies on superannuation should encourage people to save for their own retirement. ® Labour has compromised New Zealand’s defence and security by dropping out of A.N.Z.U.S. © There should be no student graduate tax. ® New Zealanders have

national pride in their country. The party leader, Mr Bolger, said in an interview with the “Evening Post” yesterday the issues focused on sovereignty and on making New Zealand an attractive place for people to live in. “We want to build national pride,” he said. “Statistics show it’s a country to go away from. We want people to want to stay here.” The campaign letter by Mr Bolger, and the party president, Mr Neville Young, says 1989 looks bleak for the 10 per cent of New Zealanders without a job. “They feel lost and without pride,” it says. The next election is not due until late 1990, but the letter says the political scene is very volatile and the date of the next

election is not known. Mr Bolger said the letter did not show the party had a problem with funds. “We’re always after funds,” he said. He denied an Auckland newspaper report that the mail drop had angered Auckland members, who felt party headquarters had gone to members directly, by-passing electorate officers. He confirmed a meeting with officials of the Auckland division’s 30 electorates had taken place but denied that the meeting was called to discuss campaign fundraising, although subscriptions and fund-raising were discussed.

Mr Bolger declined to say why the meeting was called.