Mr Jones—honesty First (Press, 30 May 1985)

On 30 May 1985, Bob Jones, the leader of the New Zealand Party, expressed his commitment to an election campaign focused on the theme of honesty in politics. Acknowledging the government's positive economic measures, Jones aimed to differentiate his party by attacking the credibility of the other three main political parties, which he accused of being deceitful. He highlighted perceived inconsistencies, particularly criticising the National Party for calling for economic freedom while simultaneously opposing government actions that promoted it. He also condemned Labour for its handling of issues surrounding the drought and the superannuation surtax. Jones expressed a strong belief that the New Zealand Party had played a significant role in shaping the current government's policies, stating that their proposals had largely influenced the government’s actions over its first ten months in power. He expressed his party's desire to prevent the return of what he termed "no-hopers" to govern, advocating for a radical change in the political landscape of New Zealand. He deemed both trade unions and the former Prime Minister, Sir Robert Muldoon, as irrelevant figures opposing right-wing economic reforms. Despite his support for many government actions, Jones noted some concerns regarding taxation policies, which he planned to address during his campaign, particularly in the Timaru electorate. He was confident about the New Zealand Party's chances in the upcoming by-election, attributing the party's underwhelming performance in the previous snap election to his lack of presence in Timaru and Invercargill. He stressed that by-elections tend to disadvantage the Labour Party due to low voter turnout among its supporters. Jones touted the party's candidate for Timaru, Bill Greenslade, a surgeon, as potentially the best choice for voters, believing that his profession would garner respect and support from the public. Additionally, he anticipated that social issues, such as the Homosexual Law Reform Bill, would become significant topics in the campaign. He challenged the Labour candidate, Jan Walker, to clearly articulate her stance on abortion and homosexual law reform, asserting his own willingness to openly share his positions on various issues.

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