Party unity call after reshuffle

Press, 12 February 1986, Page 1

Party unity call after reshuffle

The newly appointed National Party frontbencher, Miss Ruth Richardson (Selwyn), has called for party unity after the Opposition caucus reshuffle on Monday. Miss Richardson said last evening that she had spent her time since the reshuffle emphasising the flaws in Government policy and promoting the Opposition alternatives. “I suggest that my caucus colleagues adopt the same priorities and use their energies in a constructive rather than destructive fashion.” The reshuffle had

shown that the party leader, Mr McLay, was willing to act as a decisive leader, she said. “It must have been tempting for Mr McLay ... to have moved with caution. He has gone for broke in terms of principles and he has now gone for broke in terms of personnel. That is the stuff of which leadership is made.” The public had shown they were not satisfied with the previous front bench, which was almost entirely made up of former Cabinet Ministers, she said. "You cannot be static in

politics. If you want to move forwards you must learn from the lessons of the past and you must make inspired decisions for the future.” Miss Richardson denied a claim by Sir Robert Muldoon that the reshuffle was “an exercise in cronyism.” “My credentials as a person of integrity are beyond doubt, and I am nobody’s crony,” Miss Richardson said. It was understandable some caucus members were disappointed by the move, she said. Mr McLay’s reshuffle was questioned by the

Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Mr Bolger, and the “think big” architect, Mr Bill Birch, the Press Association reports.

On the positive side, the National Party president, Mrs Sue Wood, described the new line-up as one which would take the National Party through the next decade.

Mr Bolger said Mr McLay would need considerable leadership skills to hold the caucus together after the shakeup. Mr Birch said Mr McLay had made a mistake which he could pay for in election polls.

Mr Birch, the Opposition’s previous main finance spokesman, was shifted from the front bench and dropped in ranking from No. 3 to No. 12. The member of Parliament for Tauranga, Mr Winston Peters, has defended Mr Birch. Mr Peters said he was sorry to see Mr Birch - carry the can for “think big” policies which in the long run would be applauded. “Temporary unpopularity does not mean permanent unpopularity,” he said. "History will be on his side.”