Trade is key

Federated Farmers agrees trade policy should be the priority for New Zealand’s economic development.

“I was genuinely impressed by the Prime Minister staking out clearly, the role trade will play in New Zealand’s future,” says Bruce Wills, Federated Farmers President.

“Although Doha might be struggling right now, the TPP, or Trans Pacific Partnership, has got wind in its sails. The nine countries involved include half of our top ten export partners, including three of the top four.

“While some people may respond with a shrug trade makes every public service possible.

“Take the central Auckland rail loop. If a dollar of public money is involved one day, someone has to bring that money into New Zealand. Whether that’s my small contribution as a Hawke’s Bay farmer, Rakon or Sir Peter Jackson.

“What I found fascinating and a little concerning at this morning’s Press Conference scrum, was that interest.co.nz wanted to talk about trade, the basis of the speech, but no other media outlet did.

“Unless we start talking about trade and the role it plays in building our national wealth, the less realistic policies will become. It may be a crude way to explain it, but less exports means less hospital operations.

“New Zealand has an immense opportunity going forward as the TPP grouping alone has a combined population in excess of half a billion people and some $23 trillion of Gross Domestic Product. Japan is showing interest and now Canada and Mexico are keen to talk too.

“The sky is the limit for New Zealand given HSBC Bank says our trade with the rest of the world could grow 83 percent in the next 15 years.

“Something so big, much bigger than a host of world cups, ought to be front page news on its own. Instead a trivial matter few will care about in three weeks time, has overshadowed something that matters right now and for the future,” Mr Wills concluded.