My sad decision to quit-Anderton’s full statement

Press, 19 April 1989, Page 20

My sad decision to quitAnderton’s full statement

IT IS with deep regret that I announce today my resignation from the Labour Party caucus and, at the same time, from the New Zealand Labour Party.

That 25 years of membership and commitment to the ideals and philosophy of the Labour movement as expressed politically through the New Zealand Labour Party should end in such a way is sad. Not only for me personally, but also for many who have supported me inside and outside the Labour Party over that time. It will be no secret that I have not been a supporter of a number of the policy initiatives of the fourth Labour Government.

There is no doubt that tough decisions had to be made by any incoming Labour Government in 1984. There is equally no question that I am a strong supporter of some of the initiatives taken by the Labour Government over the past four and a half years. Among these are its antinuclear stance and its attempts to establish more equality for women in areas such as housing and pay equity. It has also been at least willing to face up to issues of importance to Maoridom, even though it is clear that we are a long way from a satisfactory framework for more harmonious race relations in New Zealand.

However, these more positive features have been overwhelmed by the tragedy of a Parliamentary Labour caucus which has betrayed its own philosophic traditions and policy commitments. The arrogance and ruthlessness with which narrow economic dogma — at complete odds with much that the Labour Party has stood for for its more than 70 years — has been followed, has been nothing short of tragic. It has resulted in much of the heart and the soul of New Zealand being massively damaged. Unemployment has reached intolerable levels. So too has the increasing cost burden of gaining access to essential public services such as health and even postal and banking facilities. At the same time a widening gap has developed between the economic benefits received by those who have fed off the changes which have taken place, compared to those who have been damaged by them. There is a deep sense of justice about the increasingly apparent lack of fairness in New Zealand society. I can no longer speak on behalf of those who experience that injustice while at the same time remaining a member of a Government and a party which will have to accept responsibility for the path down which New Zealand has been led.

There is, finally, the issue of New Zealand sovereignty and our role as an independent nation State of the South Pacific with a unique contribution to make to the well-being of our own region and to the wider international community. From time to time, New Zealand has grasped that challenge,

as it did in the era of the third Labour Government of Norman Kirk and Bill Rowling, as well as in the early years of David Lange’s administration. But it is increasingly clear that New Zealand’s economic fabric is being penetrated by foreign capital. This is occurring to such an extent that the ownership and use of our natural resources is in danger of passing from our hands into those of political and economic decision-makers whose allegiance is not, primarily, to New Zealand. At the same time, the Government is contemplating buying or leasing one or two thousand million dollars worth of military hardware in the form of Austra-lian-built frigates. This would leave New Zealand to form part of our long-time Australian friends’ military strategy, and

would be one further step towards the loss of our own political and economic independence. Finally, it is clear that the majority of the Parliamentary Labour Party has only contempt for the constitutional principles of its own Party. In rejecting constitutional rulings of its own governing body, ignoring policy commitments made to the electorate *in publicly endorsed policy documents, and in setting itself up as a political authority separate from the party it claims to represent, the majority of the Labour caucus has brought both politics and the New Zealand Labour Party itself into disrepute.

The National Party Opposition offer an even worse prospect. It is clearly doubly tragic that in a time of New Zealand’s greatest need, there is no real political

alternative to either major party, while other minor parties are without any credibility whatever. It is no longer possible for me to work within a political institution which has corrupted its own ideals, policies, and constitution. It is also no longer acceptable to rely on “us” being no worse than “them.” That is a bankrupt political position, and New Zealand and its people deserve a better choice and a better future than that.

I have therefore no other honourable course to follow than to resign. Unfortunately, a number of circumstances have made it necessary for this decision to be announced today before I have had the opportunity to consult fully with my electorate. I will therefore be calling a public meeting in my Sydenham

electorate next Friday, April 28, and will be consulting with my Electorate Committee prior to that about my decision and the full background to it. It would be fair to say, however, that for some time all of my closest supporters have been aware of my growing concern about, and alienation from, the policy direction of the present Government.

I will, however, continue as the Parliamentary representative for Sydenham at least until the 1990 election. The people of Sydenham elected me to represent them to the best of my ability. I believe I have done that and will continue to do so at least for the remainder of this term of Parliament.

I am not in a position to make any comment on my political future after that time.