N.A.F.T.A. 'to save jobs’

Press, 29 October 1977, Page 4

N.A.F.T.A. 'to save jobs’

The New Zealand-Australia Free Trade Agreement apparel arrangement was extended specifically to maintain employment in the New Zealand clothing industry, the Minister of Trade and Industry (Mr AdamsSchneider) said on Wednesday evening. He was anwering criticism from the Opposition spokesman on trade, Mr W. W. Freer, and the secretary of the Clothing Workers’ Federation (Mr Thom). “Mr Freer and Mr Thom would do well to think about the jobs that would have been lost had we not extended the arrangement,” the Minister said, “rather than make unfounded comments on what might happen.”

Australia had accepted that New Zealand would monitor imports from Australia to ensure that serious disruption to the New Zealand industry did not occur.

“Clearly therefore, the Mood of imports Mr Thom

talks about just will not happen,” the Minister said. Australia had experienced difficulty in competing under the present arrangement because of New Zealand’s duty levels which, at 32.5 per cent, were considerably above those levied on New Zealand products in Australia.

The Government had agreed to a temporary reduction of the New Zealand duty to 15 per cent for the sixmonth period for the arrangement was to be extended, Mr Adams-Schneider said. This would give the Australian industry a more equal opportunity to take advantage of the arrangement. “I do not know how anyone could have expected Australia to have accepted less.” “T must emphasise, however, than an integral part of the arrangement is that serious disruption to the New Zealand industry shall be avoided, and it is in this context that it must be viewed,” Mr Adams-Schneider said.