Newman’s selection backed

Press, 27 July 1989, Page 8

Newman’s selection backed

NZPA-Reuter Washington A United States Senate committee voted yesterday to support President George Bush’s choice of one of his campaign organisers in Washington State, Della Newman, as Ambassador to New Zealand, in spite of one Democrat saying it signalled that “America is not serious about diplomacy.” Similar nominees were also supported to be Ambassadors to Spain and Australia, the latest Bush appointees that Senator Paul Sarbanes said showed no qualifications for the jobs. Mr Sarbanes, of Maryland, had held up votes on Joseph Zapala as Ambassador to Spain, Melvin Sembler to Australia and Della Newman to New Zealand and tried to persuade the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to vote against confirmation. But Mr Zapala won by one vote and the other two were then ■ approved by voice vote. Full Senate confirmation is required. Mr Sarbanes said that political connections appeared the most important requirement for the posts.

Mr Zapala has contributed more than SUSIOO,OOO ($NZ172,265) to the Republican Party. Mr Sembler is also a big contributor and Mrs Newman was a. Bush campaign organiser in Washington State.

Mr Zapala, a real estate developer and a fund-raiser for the Bush campaign, did not speak Spanish, Mr Sarbanes said. Mr Sarbanes said the number of political appointees, compared with professional diplomats, had increased dramatically in the Bush Administration to 30 out of 44 nominated. Of these, he said, five were party contributors of more than SUSIOO,OOO (JNZ172.265) in 1988. A Republican senator, Rudy Boschwitz, of Minnesota, said Mr Sembler had headed a nationwide children’s rehabilitation programme and had travelled to 51 countries as president of the International Council of Shopping Centres. In addition to approving Mr Zapala, Mr Sembler and Mrs Newman, the committee approved the nominations of William Taft IV as Ambassador to N.A.T.0., the former child film star, Shirley Temple Black, to Czechoslovakia, Keith Brown to Denmark, Joseph Gildenhorn to Switzerland and Thomas Melady to the Vatican.