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Salient. Victoria University of Wellington Student's Newspaper. Volume 31, Number 9. May 21 1968
Kirk 'Not Telling The Truth'
Kirk 'Not Telling The Truth'
The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Kirk, was not stating the truth when he told the Labour Party Conference that Labour candidates had agreed to Party policy, according to Mr. Peter Blizard.
The University Council has agreed in principle to the Students' Association proposal to set up a joint committee to consider the part to be played by students in the government of the University.
Mr Blizard, a teaching fellow in psychology at Victoria University, was the Labour Party candidate for Karori in the last elections.
He said he was attacked twice by Mr Kirk at the recent conference for criticising Party policy.
In a statement to Salient, Mr Blizard said Mr Kirk had claimed that all Labour Party candidates met and agreed to party policy.
This was not true.
The meeting of candidates was held about a month before the election campaign and was the only time that the candidates met together as a group.
As Mr Kirk must be aware, Labour Party policy was announced by himself as Leader of the Opposition at the official opening of the campaign.
"He will also remember, if he cares to, that a number of candidates at the official candidates' meeting asked questions about the details of education and health policy," Mr Blizard said.
"Most of these questions were side-stepped on the grounds that 'policy could not be revealed' or had 'not been finalised'.
"This being so, I fail to see how he can accuse me of 'agreeing to policy' and then opting out of the agreement.
"In point of fact the 1966 policy was a fait accompli, delivered to candidates as is, where is. with very little opportunity to ask questions.
"Since then I have questioned the policy more rigorously."
Mr Blizard said that at the Party Conference he had made clear his opinions on psychiatric services.
On April 21, 1967, he had said that at no point had the Party mentioned how its policies were to be carried out.
"I repeat that claim now and further add that it was a travesty of a policy."
• Continued on p.6.
Continued from page 1.
Consider the policy point by point:
(1) The policy called for an immediate and extensive overhaul to ensure that adequate in-patient and out-patient services were available.
"This doesn't say a thing," Mr Blizard said. "It makes no specific recommendations for improvement and overhaul. It's a platitude."
The policy said immediate endeavours would be made to overcome the present serious shortage of psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers.
"This is another pious and imprecise platitude," Mr Blizard said.
What?
"What endeavours? Is it intended to provide improved training facilities? Improve the conditions of work, and facilities for research, so as to hold those staff we now have? Or what?"
The policy said post-graduate study would be provided for doctors prepared to undertake and specialise in psychiatric work.
"Are there any doctors at the moment who want to enter psychiatric medicine but are prevented from doing so by shortage of training facilities?
I challenge
"I challenge Mr Kirk to show that this is the case. He would do much better to improve working conditions and perhaps attract the 30 or so New Zealand psychiatrists now working in New South Wales.
"This is probably the 'cheapest' way of providing psychiatrists," Mr Blizard said.
The policy said 'out-patient facilities would be extended to enable an earlier participation in community life.'
"Where do they intend to place these facilities? Attached to the existing psychiatric hospitals, attached to general hospitals, as part of community mental health centres? Or what?
Specific places
"Specific places should also be stated, as well as the time scale of operations.
"The local recipient community could then ensure that party promises were kept.
The policy said Labour believed that psychiatric hospitals should be co-ordinated with general public hospitals under hospital board administration. The steps by which this could be achieved would be worked out in consultation with the parties involved the policy said.
"This policy was repudiated from the platform at the 1968 conference," Mr Blizard said.
At least a decade
"In any event 'consultation with the parties involved' has now been going on for at least a decade with no positive result.
"If Labour really means what it (doesn't) say it would assert that on becoming the Government it Would transfer the psychiatric hospitals to Board control. Period.
"As stated, this policy is just another empty slogan.
"Let us now bring this story up to date: Earlier this year the Caucus of the New Zealand Labour Party issued a policy statement on health.
Only mention
"Its only mention of psychiatric medicine was that 'we will carry out urgent reforms in mental health.'
"As with the 1966 policy, there is no clear indication of what specific reforms they intend to undertake on becoming the Government.
"There is no clear indication of how these (unspecified) reforms will be carried out by the Labour Party.
"There is no clear indication that any form of cost-benefit analysis has been carried out, or means by which additional revenue (if needed) will be made available.
No homework
"There is, on the other hand, every indication that the Parliamentary Labour Parly has not done its homework.
"It did not do it in preparation for 1966. And there is every indication that it will be similarly irresponsible in 1968.
"In relation to mental health policy the Labour Party (as well as National) has substituted slogans and catchcrys for policy. Platitudes will not cure the sick, will not convince the electorate, and will only fool the parly hack and the ultrafaithful.
Indicted
"In his presidential address, Mr Douglas 'indicts the National Party because it has allowed the breakdown of our health services'.
"I would ask him if Labour has proposed effective, viable solutions to the breakdown of our psychiatric services?
Similarly Mr Kirk says in his address: 'When the road ahead calls for change— change. When past policies need reshaping reshape them . . . policies must be shaped to meet the needs of changing times."
Best answer
"The best answer I can give to this is that he fully support the following amendment.
"That the Parliamentary Labour Party be instructed to bring down a comprehensive report on our psychiatric services at the next conference. This report to state clearly and unambiguously the specific reforms Labour intends to carry out, the estimated cost of those reforms, and the time at which they will be introduced.' "