Street on FTAs
Maryan Street blogs:
Am off right now to Kuala Lumpur to witness the signing of the NZ-Malaysia Free Trade Agreement. This is in keeping with the Labour, and now National, tradition of the Minister of Trade inviting the Opposition Trade Spokesperson along to such events. This isn’t just good politics – it’s good business.
Our business leaders need the security of knowing the policy rug isn’t going to be pulled out from under them at the end of a short electoral cycle. This is about NZ Inc and both Labour and National get that.
Yep. If only someone could convince the Greens and Winston First, and oh yeah the Maori Party also.
Europe and the US are retreating behind protectionist doors, but there are some really encouraging movements in Asia, and we are fortunate to be their neighbours.
October 26th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
we are fortunate we can look both ways..
(and..(heh!)..bolgers’ (contention-causing) claim that ‘we are all asians now’..seems positively prescient..)
phil(whoar.co.nz)
October 26th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Sorry DPF, but I find that argument baloney. Does this mean that the Greens, MP, ACT Andertrix and Dunns should be sen along as well then? Who says Labour will ever be in a position to pull any rug from anything? Who says that Street represents Labour views in 10 years time, or even 3? Isn’t that some sort of blackmail to extort overseas travel from the taxpayer?
What a rort, I can’t believe you fall for that, if it’s all about NZ Inc then why does she have to go along? She could just as well sit in W’ton and declare that, for heaven’s sake. This BS must stop. Now.
October 26th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
NZ Inc?
Don’t tell The Stranded, they’ll have another tantrum. Apparently only “tossers” use that phrase.
http://www.thestandard.org.nz/wee-gripes-3-of-3/
October 26th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
@dimmocrazy No because none of them will ever lead the government in the next 10 years. A rort? Bipartisianship is a rort? Hell, we waste a lot of money on a lot of things but convincing our free trade partners that we’re serious and longterm seems like a ticket well spent.
October 26th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
@Labrator: See second part of my rant. Bipartisanship doesn’t require conjoint travel, Labour could comment positively from W’ton just as effectively, no first class tickets required at all. Wonder whether Street has something going on the side with John Boy though……:-)
October 26th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
Political of course.
October 26th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
But this is a continuing trend, not just overseas but here in little old NZ. Nothing changes only the backsides on the seats and the wages those backsides earn.
The more things change the more they stay the same. I am loss to see why labour and the Nats. don’t just combine in to a coalition of the weaklings. Oh maybe that’s the silent agenda for the next election. Hadn’t though about that.
October 27th, 2009 at 6:38 am
Agree he moves quickly when the opportunity arises…for a Fonterra salesman, which has made the meat worker’s force redundant across NZ and doing well for its stock holders some of them foreigners. Who knows he might have a few dollars invested in there through a third party. But it doesn’t cover the fact that he has ambitiously taken over from where Labour left off, and made more NZers unemployed while denying the sick and disable health care, taking over Education…
Check this out: The Rapid Rise of Socialism
October 27th, 2009 at 10:43 am
The retreat of the EU and the US into their own comfy trade fortresses will only hasten their decline as global powers. Like it or not China and India are the future superpowers. We are wise to be part of their economic bloc.