Commercial Strong ‘Pacific Community’ urged

Press, 3 October 1979, Page 21

Commercial Strong ‘Pacific Community’ urged

Lately much has been’ written about co-operation between Australia and New Zealand. The combined] boardrooms in New Zealand feel that New Zealand has great opportunities in supplying many products and services to Australia. Both Australia and New] Zealand think that because of the increasing pressures |of export limitations for) their products to the European countries, United States, and other parts ofj I the world, through trade; barriers, tariff or export; ‘quotas, it is of the utmost; importance that New Zealand and Australia show leadership in creating a| ../'Pacific Community,” says! the president of the New ] Zealand division of the Institute of Directors (Mr Dirk Hudig). “The European Community started from a trial asso-

■ciation between Belgium, the' Netherlands and Luxumburg — Benelux. Benelux evenjtually was extended to the ( European Economic Com'munity — The Common 'Market. Mr Hudig says that we should sit down together | with Australia and bargain: (hard with them, and "let these negotiations be a com-! bination of the Australian! Government and their enter-J prise system and the New Zealand Government and our enterprise system. The Australians are tough people ■ and we had better have :j tough negotiators. One thing ■I is sure, together we will ■lhave a great Pacific Economic Community. ;l ‘‘Let’s be very positive about our present approach. The chart below shows the i investments that are taking (place during the coming two 'years in Australia. Do not

much talk and controversy,'’ says Mr Hudig. "Our aim in New Zealand iis to be part and parcel of | what takes place in the Pacific. We have great opportunities to supply our friendly neighbours whose language we share, to whose country we go in droves for holidays and whom we should admire for their drive," he says. tlet us lose, through too