Resignation will have no effect—Douglas

Press, 19 April 1989, Page 8

Resignation will have no effect—Douglas

PA Tauranga The former Minister of Finance, Mr Roger Douglas, said yesterday’s resignation from the Labour Party of Mr Jim Anderton will have no material effect for the Government. “Jim always wanted to be the king,” Mr Douglas said during a visit to Tauranga to address Rotarians. Mr Douglas said he had not heard of the resignation before being approached by the news media but Mr Anderton’s action came as no surprise. “There has been talk and rumour of it for the last few days. But I had no direct knowledge of what Jim planned to do,” he said. “He has been on his own for some

time now. I can’t tell what backing he has but he appears to have little support within either caucus or the trade union movement.” Mr Douglas had no comment to make to suggestions that the parliamentary Labour Party was now showing splits on both the left and right. Speaking to an audience of more than 100 Mr Douglas said little new but stoutly defended the reason behind economic policies he pursued while In office as Minister of Finance. He said New Zealanders were confusing “the means with the end” and failing to appreciate what the Government was attempting to achieve because they were too preoccupied with the immediate effects.