Call for review of departments

Press, 23 April 1983, Page 8

Call for review of departments

Parliamentary reporter A reorganisation of the departments dealing with trade, marketing, foreign affairs, tourism, and product research has been called for . byMr M. K. Moore (Lab., * Papanui). He asked a series of questions in Parliament over the implementation of the Plummer Report, 1977. This: report; had recoin-, mended .. a number of changes ,in dealing with trade. . - New Zealand’s share of world trade had dropped more than 125 per cent in the last 25 years, Mr Moore . said. Policies appropriate when New Zealand was. a

"farm for Britain” were no longer appropriate. Labour’s caucus committee on trade, and marketing had been meeting: many people to work out a new trade policy. These included exporters, public servants, manufacturers, academics, importers, and other people involved in trade. Primary industry and the manufacturers had overcome many production problems, he said. The challenge in the future would be at two levels: Access to markets needed an immense political and diplomatic initiative, and such markets needed to be developed once access had been achieved.