SUMMARY REPORT OF
CONFERENCE DISCUSSIONS
The following is a summary report of the discussions in the Plenary and Panel Sessions of the Conference. The summary notes the many views expressed and the concensus where this clearly emerged. It was prepared by the parliamentary reporting staff of the New Zealand House of Representatives.
:
1ST PLENARY SESSION
THE ENERGY CRISIS
S
hri Ram Nivas Mirdha, MP, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, India, began the debate by referring to the likelihood of further increases in the price of oil, brought
political ends.
Although India supported the right of the OPEC countries to obtain just and remunerative prices for their raw materials, and to dispose of their national wealth as they saw fit, those countries had to be made aware that their present policies might have a harmful effect on the future prosperity of developing countries.
The per capita consumption of energy in the developing countries was negligible when compared with that of the industrialised countries, which were attempting to pre-empt the bulk of the world's natural resources in order to maintain their present patterns of consumption.
The less developed countries had suffered heavily since 1973 through having to compete with more affluent countries in securing minimum requirements of petroleum products from the world market. Oil imports now accounted for half of India's total import bill; and the less developed countries were having to pay higher prices, not only for oil, but also for imports of plant, machinery, and fertiliser, etc.
The energy crisis was without doubt a global one that called for urgent measures and co- operation between the countries of the world. Demand and waste should be controlled, and indigenous and alternative sources of energy developed. In view of their consumption, the advanced countries had a special responsibility for energy conservation.
Some steps had been taken, but much more needed to be done. Various countries, including New Zealand, were developing alternative sources of energy, and India itself was taking measures to control and review oil consumption.
TWENTY-FIFTH COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCE
The Twenty-fifth Conference of the CPA met in New Zealand Parliament Buildings from 26 November to 1st December, 1979, when the New Zealand Branch of the Association was host.
The Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives, Hon. J. R. Harrison, ED, MP, President of the Association, was Chairman of the Conference, which was attended by 163 Delegates and Observers and 32 Secretaries to Delegations.
The preparation for press of the Verbatim Report of the Conference is in hand and will be distributed to Delegations and Branches as soon as it has been published.