Young Nats Move To Right At Conference (Press, 5 June 1984)
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Summary: Young Nats Move To Right At Conference (Press, 5 June 1984)
During a conference held over the weekend of 5 June 1984, the Young Nationals, a youth wing of the National Party in New Zealand, significantly shifted their political stance to the right. Delegates at the conference rejected a proposal aimed at reforming laws pertaining to homosexuality and instead passed remits that urged the government not to ratify a United Nations convention aimed at eliminating discrimination against women. They also discussed the possibility of withdrawing from the Gleneagles agreement, which sought to curb sporting ties with apartheid-era South Africa. The Minister of Health, Mr Malcolm, remarked that these decisions indicated a major change in direction for the Young Nationals. The president of the Young Nationals, Mr Alastair Bell, acknowledged the shift, noting that a more conservative faction within the group had succeeded in passing several remits. He expressed his belief that this trend was reflective of broader political sentiments across the country, indicating that New Zealand was leaning towards a more conservative outlook. While Bell recognised that not all the remits aligned with his views, particularly regarding the stance on homosexual law reform, he conceded that the outcome had established the Young Nationals' official policy as opposed to reform in that area. He suggested that if party officials had concerns about this newfound policy, it was their responsibility to address them. Bell's comments underscored a growing divergence within the Young Nationals, as they move to encapsulate and mirror what he perceives as an overarching conservative movement within New Zealand society.
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