Raglan M.P. disillusioned

Press, 28 September 1976, Page 3

Raglan M.P. disillusioned

PA Hamilton There was speculation yesterday that the member of Parliament for Raglan (Miss Marilyn Waring) — the youngest woman elected to a New Zealand Parliament — may be planning to quit the House. The 23-year-old Member of Parliament said from Wellington that she had no immediate plans to resign but added she was leaving her future career options "open.” Miss Waring — who has been at the centre of political and personal controversies during the last two months — publicly expressed disillusionment and frustration with her role during a weekend address. Advocating a reform of Parliament and of its policymaking procedures, she said: “Perhaps I came into politics at a wrong age. "Perhaps I still misunderstand the political system but I cannot but feel more and more cynically resigned to a hopelessness that sees neces-

sary social decisions deferred, that sees bigoted and anachronistic laws upheld, and that sees difficult decisions postponed for another day.” The Raglan electorate chairman (Mr Peter Hamilton) said that Miss Waring was definitely under no party pressure to quit. He said the M.P.’s attitude toward her work had not altered and Miss Waring had given no indication she was considering resigning. Other Raglan party sources said Miss Waring was almost certain to face challengers for her seat from within the party when the electorate’s Parliamentary nominations for the 1978 General Election are called. They said Miss Waring had been rocked and depressed by recent allegations concerning her personal life. They said she had also been the target of criticism from conservative elements inside National ranks after her strong stand against the Health Amendment Bill which sought indirectly to restrict abortion. They noted that Miss Waring was already working part-time as a lecturer at Vic-

toria University and could opt for an academic career. But the sources said they believed her depression would be temporary and that the young M.P. would fight “hammer and tongs” to hold on to her seat.

From Wellington, Miss Waring declined to rule out the possibility of her resignation. While she would not be resigning in the immediate future she was keeping “all my options open.” “M.P.s are only ever in for a three-year spell and noone should doubt that after the Dunedin North result. What happens' is largely up to the electorate.” Miss Waring said she found "the system” incredibly frustrating. She sometimes felt that she had been more effective in her former political research job than as an M.P. “I have made no secret of the fact that I’d love to be on the Commission for the Future but I am quite committed to the belief that I have more chance of getting change by being one of the 87.”

(There are 87 M.P.s in the present Parliament). Women’s representation in the House was another consideration. “You don’t fight to get four women in there to drop out,” she said. In her Saturday night ad-

dress to the Taumarunui Women’s Club twenty-fifth anniversary dinner, Miss Waring questioned the present decision-making process. “Just how does a threeyear politically partisan Government decision-making body hinder the future of New Zealand? “Just how many decisions emanating from that building (Parliament) are political and expedient rather than common sense and practical for the future well-being of our country? “How many of them are based on a three-year job security rather than on a 20-year stability for the nation?” Miss Waring said: “Reform of Parliament and reform of policy-making procedures and reform of decision-making must be a critical area of change for the future of New Zealand.”