October ‘too late’ for new Cabinet

Press, 11 July 1989, Page 1

October ‘too late’ for new Cabinet

PA Wellington The Labour M.P., Dr Bill Sutton, last evening called for an immediate Cabinet reshuffle as a follow-up to the recent challenge he instigated to the leadership of the Prime Minister, Mr Lange. ;The Government needed a new Cabinet sooner than the October reshuffle promised by Mr Lange, Dr Sutton said in an address at a public meeting in his marginal Hawke’s Bay electorate. “We’ve tested the leader, now we should test the Cabinet,” he said. Two Cabinet ■ positions were vacant and at least three Ministers planned to retire from politics at the next election, he said. “The Prirrie Minister says we should fill those positions in October. In my opinion that’s leaving it far too late. We should sort the Cabinet out now.” In another surprising move, Dr Sutton claimed the 1987 Cabinet selection was “a jack-up.” “The retiring Cabinet met as a group. They agreed on a block vote and they went out and lobbied for the few M.P.s they wanted. “All 20 Cabinet positions were filled on the first ballot and the

rest of the caucus didn’t stand a chance. That’s not democracy. That’s not the Labour Party constitution. That’s a jack-up. It’s time we went back again and did the job properly.” The Government could then start on the real agenda of reestablishing its sense of direction. "We need to rethink our policies. We need to reassert our leadership and we need to tell New Zealanders ,what we’re doing.” In Tarawa, at the South Pacific Forum, Mr Lange said he was not concerned about Dr Sutton’s remarks. It was farcical to suggest the previous Cabinet influenced the election of the new one, he said. “The retiring Cabinet didn’t have a vote,” he said. Explaining his disclosure 10 days ago of his role in the leadership challenge, Dr Sutton said he spoke out because he believed in the democratic process. Only the leader was entitled to speak for the caucus, so he wouldn’t “be naming any names” or “breaking any confidences.” He said four “disasters” at the end of April had convinced him

the Government had to change. They were Mr Lange’s Anzac Day speech, the formation by the Sydenham M.P., Mr Jim Anderton, of the New Labour Party, the televised row at Labour’s Auckland regional conference and the poll showing Labour 30 per cent behind National. The caucus vote was carefully prepared, done with fairness and gave a clear result. Forty-one M.P.S spoke — Mr Lange twice — before the secret ballot. The idea that those wanting a change were voting for a deregulated labour market, user-pays in hospitals, or a flat tax rate was bizarre. They were voting for a change of leader. People could not argue with the polls, which showed the Government was plummeting in popularity. “We’re the least popular Government in New. Zealand history. We’re 30 per cent behind.” “If we’d held an election a month ago, Labour would have held just 'eight Parliamentary seats. “That is why we had a leadership challenge — because in our kind of political system the leader has a special role.”