M.P. attacks trade barriers

Press, 26 September 1988, Page 2

M.P. attacks trade barriers

Wellington reporter

The Opposition member of Parliament for Rangiora, Mr Jim Gerard, attacked trade protectionism when speaking at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference last week.

The conference in Canberra was told that the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (G.A.T.T.) had “not fulfilled the expectations of those of us who believe in' free trade and the removal of protectionist barriers.” He told the delegates that New Zealand had moved to eliminate import licensing, had lowered tariffs and given other countries access to its markets. But nations such as Japan and the United States “have consequently forced our products from the shelves of shops serving consumers who are affluent and sophisticated.” G.A.T.T. was imperative to New Zealand’s future standard of living, he said. It was “frustrating” that trade barriers could not be broken down. He at-

tacked those countries that were “looking after their vested interests.” “Take Japan for example,” he said. “It is ridiculous that more than 100 million people should

be eating rice at a price five times higher than imported rice. “The idea that the United States’ budget should contain sufficient money to pay agriculturists to grow nothing from unploughed fields is nonsensical and certainly outside the spirit of free trade. “Some of the countries (involved in G.A.T.T.) have been of nebulous help in the move towards the liberalisation of trade and the removal of agricultural subsidies,” he said. New Zealand had to witness the despair of closing factories and abandoned farms afer the removal of trade barriers, subsidies and import licensing, while the rest of the world hid behind protectionism, he said.