Salient. Official Newspaper of the Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association. Vol 40. No. 7. April 13 1977

Demise of Labour

Demise of Labour

Bob Tizard is the Deputy leader of the Labour Party, one of their top men and spokesman on finance, yet he had nothing to say to the 500 students who came to hear him talk on the state of the economy.

His speech itself, both in quality and content, showed a severe lack of any thought as to student understanding or interest. As a top Labour man he should be aware that a large proportion of the swing to National in 1975 was amongst young and first-time voters, the implication being that many were no doubt students. Instead Tizard adopted an 'all idiots but me' approach telling us "The rise in the cost of living affects everyone in proportion to their ability to increase their income." So what's new!

With most of us surviving on $13 per week, students know what inability to increase income in the face of cost of living rises is all about, and what it does to living standards. Yet when questioned on the Bursaries issue, Tizard gave the impression that we were ungrateful to dare to even question their sufficiency when the S.T.B. had been awarded so magmanimously by his Government; again, so what, we still have to live on $13 a week — he doesn't.

Tizard also showed an exceedingly well developed ability to sidestep any real issues and when faced with heckles determined to have their (reasonable!) questions answered, he degenerated instantly into rudeness. A party that objects so much to Muldoon's brand of personal-insult politics, should know better than to stoop so low themselves. Most of his insults were taken light-heartedly by the audience, as was in fact his entire address. His attitude was so offensively patronising and his lack of knowledge or research as to the issues which interest students so obvious, he was hard to take seriously. It was only the recurring thought of that position of Deputy Leader that added a thoughtful note to the entire fiasco.

For example, when members of the audience tried to get some answers as to Labour's current housing policy, they were told; first how bad National's was, second, how good Labour's had been, and third, that as they were only students, housing was not an issue that should concern them. This is of course total rubbish. A large number of students come from other centres and must find their own accommodation in Wellington, and many are already in a position of wanting to buy a family home, making housing a major concern for students, and one on which they would appreciate some answers.

The majority of students who went to hear Tizard speak, wanted to hear Labour's plans and policy on the economy. They wanted to hear discussion on issues that concern them and they wanted to see just what Labour has to offer them in 1978.

Instead they saw Tizard insult hecklers, avoid questions and say nothing. Hopefully this is not the true total of Labour's economic policy, for if it is they will have to do a lot better than Tizard did if they are to have any hope of becoming the Government in 1978.