McLean to be foil to Richardson on finance

Press, 20 February 1989, Page 6

McLean to be foil to Richardson on finance

By

PATTRICK SMELLIE

in Wellington

Small but significant changes to the responsibilities of National Party members of Parliament were announced by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Bolger, last evening.

Most significant is the appointment of Mr lan McLean as an associate spokesman on finance, alongside the chief spokeswoman, Miss Ruth Richardson, and two other associates, Messrs Doug Kidd and Simon Upton. In an interview with "The Press,” Mr Bolger indicated that Mr McLean was in part a counter to the rigidly free-market views of Miss Richardson. “lan McLean is a sensible, practical, private sector economist, not given to ideological flights of fancy,” he said. The move is in line with National’s over-all move to a more pragmatic economic policy stance, which Mr Bolger sees as both more appropriate and more politically saleable in a post-share-market crash election campaign next year. Miss Richardson last

evening welc'omed Mr McLean’s appointment, describing him as a “fellow traveller.” “lan McLean is a great ally who has contributed substantially to my understanding of economics,” she said. She predicted the National Party would present a more unified and cohesive image than in the past after last week’s caucus. Mr McLean replaces Mr Don McKinnon as an associate spokesman on finance, although Mr McKinnon had not been active in the finance area for some months, because of commitments elsewhere, Mr Bolger said.

Mr McKinnon retains the defence and health portfolios.

The rest of the new line-up mainly concentrates on giving promotions and specific tasks to

backbenchers and firstterm M.P.s

The Opposition spokeman on employment and Maori Affairs, Mr Winston Peters, is joined by the first-termer, Mr John Luxton on the Maori Affairs front, and Mr Roger Maxwell takes on regional development responsibilities as well as associate employment. The first-term Ashburton M.P., Mrs Jenny Shipley, is promoted to associated spokeswoman on education. An able debater, Mrs Shipley also has an economics background. The M.P. for Remuera, Mr Doug Graham, joins Mr Paul East, as an associate spokesman on justice, with special responsibilities for commercial law reform and constitu- 7 tional issues. Mr Graham fell from grace during the 1987

election campaign for suggesting that National would raise taxes, if elected. Mr Rob Storey has been appointed to oversee environmental issues, and Mr Dennis Marshall has been appointed to conservation. The first-term Paku-

ranga M.P., Mr Maurice Williamson, joins Mr Philip Burdon as an associated spokesman on industry and commerce, as well as taking up associate science and technology.

Other backbenchers have been given special project responsibilities in the areas of agricultural training (Mr Robert Anderson); internal tourism (Mr John Carter); meat processing (Mr Jeff Grant); Pacific Island affairs (Mr Warren Kydd); immigration (Mr Murray McCully); forestry (Mr Ross Meurant); defence (Mr Rob Munro); inland revenue (Mr Wyatt Creech). The announcements mean all National Party M.P.s with the exception of the former Prime Minister, Sir Robert Muldoon, have areas of responsibility.