‘Time running out for Govt’

Press, 29 January 1986, Page 1

‘Time running out for Govt’

PA Wellington Time was running out for the Government and its “kamikaze” approach to .the economy, said the Leader of the Opposition, Mr McLay, yesterday. Delivering a “state of the nation speech,” he said this year the Government would learn that it could not survive on “political rhetoric" alone. When it came to the crunch, the public wanted performance. But Labour continued to blame its problems — from interest rates to air traffic control systems — on National. “I am left to wonder at what stage of its administration the Labour Government is going to start taking responsibility for management of the country,” Mr McLay said. “Presumably about the stage when things start to come right — if they do at all.” But with the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, saying 1986 was going to be worse economically than last year, the Government no longer deserved to hold the reins of power, he told the Mount Albert Rotary Club. It broke its word on many occasions, for example, on National Superannuation, prescription charges, the milk subsidy and A.N.Z.U.S. “It is masquerading as a Government that supports an open and competitive economy when; in reality, State activity is expanding at an unprecedented rate.” Mr McLay listed three problems that had to be dealt with by the Government: • Growth of the public sector. • The national award wage-fixing system and other problems with wage fixing. • The rapid decline of agriculture. '

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