Lange Wins a 2nd Term in New Zealand

Prime Minister David Lange won a second three-year term in parliamentary elections Saturday and said his priorities will be social reform and cutting New Zealand’s record-high unemployment.

Lange was the first Labor Party leader to win a second consecutive term since the Walter Nash government of 1935-49. Jim Bolger, leader of the opposition National Party, conceded defeat three hours after the polls closed.

Lange said Saturday that he was “enormously fulfilled” by the victory.

“What a remarkable country, what a remarkable judgment,” he told cheering supporters.

Lange, 45, gained international attention during his first term by banning nuclear-capable ships from New Zealand harbors, prompting the United States to eject New Zealand from the three-way ANZUS alliance with Australia.

During his campaign, Lange did not stress the nuclear-free policy. Instead he pointed up his efforts to revitalize the economy through deregulation, an end to farm subsidies and a new consumption tax.

Won 56 of 97 Seats

With most of the votes counted, election officials said Labor won 56 seats in the 97-seat Parliament. The National Party won 41 seats. The small Democratic Party lost its two seats, including that of its leader, Neil Morrison.

Labor received 784,760 votes, or 46.41%, to 738,107 or 44.59% for the National Party and 97,112 votes, or 5.87%, for the Democratic Party.

About 1.65 million of the 2.1 million eligible voters cast ballots, officials said.

Bolger, 52, had vowed to return New Zealand to ANZUS, cut government spending and do away with the sales tax.

Lange said his second term’s priorities will be to cut unemployment, now at a record 6.2%, and carry out social and educational reform.

Inflation at 18.9%

Inflation is at a record high of 18.9% and interest rates stand at 21.5%. Lange acknowledged that his economic measures, such as liberalizing financial regulations and floating the national currency, caused hardship but said things will get better if he is allowed to complete his program.

Lange made no mention Saturday of the nuclear-free issue. However, he made it clear during the campaign that he stood firm in his opposition to allowing nuclear-capable ships into port. The United States said the ban made the 1952 ANZUS treaty unworkable.

Washington refuses to say which of its ships carry nuclear weapons, saying this would endanger the ships’ safety.

Bolger endorsed Lange’s ban but urged that New Zealand rejoin ANZUS and said he would trust the nuclear powers to respect New Zealand’s wishes.

As part of his anti-nuclear policy, Lange has strongly criticized French nuclear testing on Mururoa atoll in French Polynesia in the South Pacific, almost 3,000 miles northeast of New Zealand. It is estimated that France has conducted at least 80 underground nuclear explosions there since 1975.