TPP likely involve dairy phase in

PM Key on TPP: NZ wants high quality agreement, which means dairy included; Might be phased in over 10 years

Rural News

PM Key on TPP: NZ wants high quality agreement, which means dairy included; Might be phased in over 10 years

26th Nov 12, 4:52pm by Alex Tarrant

By Alex Tarrant

Eradication of trade barriers for dairy products will be included in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement, but it may be agreed that they can be phased out over a decade, Prime Minister John Key says.

The next round of TPP talks is set to be held in Auckland in December. Key said leaders of the nations involved in the TPP talks had made an ambitious agreement to have a text finalised by October 2013. He said issues in future negotiating rounds were "not going to get any easier."

Key told his post-Cabinet press conference on Monday afternoon that New Zealand was demanding a high quality agreement.

"We're not prepared to see dairy excluded," he said.

However it was likely barriers to dairy trade would be phased out over a period of ten years or so.

Key has just returned from Cambodia where he attended the East Asia Summit. At the summit it was announced New Zealand would be joining another set of free trade talks, this time the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which includes Japan, South Korea and India.

Key said an "anaemic" growth outlook for Europe meant "Asia is where the growth will be for the next couple of decades."

New Zealand was "well placed to take advantage of that growth," he said.

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6 Comments

by noponies | 26th Nov 12, 9:45pm 1353919516

Interesting link. Throws some light on the govts mad insistence on selling off the family silver.

I would imagine that should any dairy phase in occur over 10 years, the us demands on our economy will come into full effect straight away.

I struggle to recall a govt in NZ as bad as the current one. They seem hell bent on selling the country down the cow poo filled river.

by wtf | 27th Nov 12, 10:56am 1353966986

Yep these deals are all about favouring corporate financial institutions, removing any remaining barriers to "investment" (read asset and land sales) with immediate effect but with long phase ins for agriculture. Aussie FTA with US signed years ago doesn't give them free access for beef and sugar until 2020 I think. Govt will keep Pharmac but hollow it out to appease US. Probably a committment to floating Fonterra as well. Like the WTO agreement it will be non reversible without devastating sanctions

by Millie Pickle | 26th Nov 12, 7:35pm 1353911728

TPPA is to New Zealanders what NAFTA was to Americans. America's downhill slide began in earnest from 1999 whe NAFTA was signed. It is now a rapidly deteriorating economy. It will be no different here. Kiss your sovereignty goodbye. The illusion that NZ can gain something from this deal will evaporate like mist in the sun. And it will be too late then. There is still time to say no and not sleepwalk into impoverishment.

by raegun | 27th Nov 12, 9:25am 1353961547

Why does it seem to me that a 10 year phase in is just another way to block our exports. Is it that that's because it is. That is about as much use to us as tits on a bull

Get our now while the getting is still good.

by Mike B | 27th Nov 12, 11:11am 1353967876

No government should be allowed to enter into any agreement that is binding on other political parties without the consent of the other political parties. Governments and political parties come and go but their agreements remain - that is not right without the consent of a 75% majority of paliament.

John Key is putting all our (NZ) Fontera eggs into one basket and gambling on it. America will get what it wants (screw us) and we will get our dairy

"However it was likely barriers to dairy trade would be phased out over a period of ten years or so."

NOT in 10 years BUT 10 years OR SO, that could be What, 20 years?

At the same time he is cutting costs, including at our borders, and so risking something like Foot & Mouth getting in. Where will that leave us then?

The newly formed New Zealand Rural Party has changed its name to Focus New Zealand.

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/121763/party-representing-producers-and-exporters-formed

It says it wants to represent the interests of producers and exporters, regardless of whether they are in rural or urban areas.

"The main thing that we're about is a better deal for the producers and exporters, because they have a flow-on effect right down to the factory workers and small businesses in New Zealand.

"It's all about the people that produce the wealth of this country."

http://www.nzrural.org.nz/

by wtf | 27th Nov 12, 11:20am 1353968442

There is no requirement for any government to put any multilateral agreement before a Select Committee or vote on it in Parliament. The decision will be made by a handful in Cabinet. Labour is just as bad. Essentially this will be a financial coup, removing the last vestiges of government control and regualation from the economy and bequething them to foreign financiers. Labour and National believe resistance is futile