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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 36, Number 9. 1ts May 1973

Regional Development

Regional Development

Labour was probably helped into power more by its promises on regional development than any other promise. But as our capitalist system concentrates industry in the profitable metropolitan areas and empties the countryside and lesser towns, Labour can do little effectively to implement these promises (unless it ceases to be a Government of capitalism, which is impossible).

We find that Labour has already committed 100 times more money on further developing Auckland (by an underground railway) than it will ever spend fostering under-developed areas. Its own capitalist-minded public servants don't even believe in regional development (which conflicts with their capitalist economic theory) and so will quietly strangle it anyway. Thus all these promises were just so much election bait.

Of course, despite this general position, there may be some specific cases of progress on this issue. On the West Coast the Government proposes to assist the development of a toy manufacturing industry and promises other enterprises. This is in response to strong pressure from rank and file Labour Party elements, business interests and others. These proposals illustrate the contradictory forces within the ranks of the Labour Party which will be a fertile seed bed for disillusionment.