Busy Day For Mr Bolger (Press, 8 August 1987)

On 8 August 1987, Oliver Riddell reported from Wellington on the activities of National Party leader Mr. Bolger during a visit to the Labour-held electorate of Wanganui. National aims to capture the seat from Labour’s Minister of Education, Mr. Marshall, who had previously threatened to resign after the closing of the East Town Railway workshops but ultimately decided to stay on. Mr. Marshall's political troubles stem from his association with homosexual law reform and progressive social stances, which have made him vulnerable. During his visit, Mr. Bolger supported National candidate Alan Anderson, who, along with the Democrates’ Terry Heffernan, is actively campaigning against Mr. Marshall. However, their efforts are complicating each other's candidacies and enabling Mr. Marshall to maintain a substantial lead. Mr. Bolger’s day included three notable incidents. Firstly, he had lunch at McDonald’s, marking his first visit there, which he attributed to the difficulty and expense of taking his large family out for takeaways, as noted by Mrs Bolger. Secondly, he shared a public platform with Wayne “Buck” Shelford, the All Black and captain of the Maori rugby team. Bolger expressed his love for rugby and commented on sporting relationships with South Africa, stating it should be a decision made by individual sporting codes while indicating he did not support such tours. The third incident involved a planned ride on a paddlesteamer along the Wanganui River, which was thwarted by mechanical issues as the twin motors failed to start, disappointing the event organisers. Later in the day, Mr. Bolger addressed around 400 people at an open-air meeting. His speech diverged significantly from a previous discussion with Auckland business leaders. He committed to reducing the prices of food, doctor’s fees, and local body rates by eliminating GST from these essential services. Additionally, he asserted that the Labour government intended to raise GST from 10 to 15 per cent to cover its increasing deficit, while also introducing a capital gains tax. Furthermore, Mr. Bolger tackled the nuclear issue, promising that a National Government would reinstate New Zealand as an active member of the ANZUS defence alliance, reinforcing his party's stance on national security and international relations.

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