Proposal to end Trade and Industry

Press, 26 February 1988, Page 6

Proposal to end Trade and Industry

By

OLIVER RIDDELL

in Wellington

A proposal has gone to the Cabinet to dismantle the Trade and Industry Department.

It is contained in a discussion paper but no Cabinet decision has been made on it yet. The chief recommendation is to abolish the department and replace its functions in three parts — trade policy, Trade Comm and Ministry of Commerce.

taking over the department’s residual functions, such as administering the Commerce Act, certain consumer legislation, the functions of the Examiner of Trade Practices, the administration of import licensing and tariffs, and the technical advisory, building sector informa-

able confusion. Creating a Ministry of Commerce was unnecessary and dangerous. All its functions other than setting tariffs and import licensing control could be handled by the Justice Department. “It is disconcerting that the Government has made

Trade policy and the functions of the trade commissioners would be incorporated into the structure of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Trade Comm would be an independent body taking over the responsibilities of the Market Development Board and for all trade promotions; and The Ministry of Commerce would be a body

tion and administrative functions of the disbanded Ministry of Works.

some major policy decisions with minimum consultation,” Mr Burdon said. It would further confuse a commercial community that was already in a state of deep depression resulting from the failure of Government policies. The Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Caygill, was in Dunedin last evening and could not be reached for comment.

This discussion paper has been attacked by the Opposition spokesman on trade and industry, Mr Philip Burdon (Fendalton), for its secrecy. It would create many more problems than it would resolve, he said. This separation of functions would cause inevit-