Trade Rules – Ok Or Not?

Media Release – 5 July 2002 www.tln.org.nz

The Trade Liberalisation Network invites the public to participate in an online survey of views on trade.

“Helen Clark has said that trade is New Zealand’s lifeblood, so why is there not more debate on trade in the election campaign?” asks TLN Executive Director Stephen Jacobi.

Mr Jacobi said the TLN was monitoring party statements on trade and publishing them on its website www.tln.org.nz. “Too many comments focus on what parties will not do. New Zealanders need to know what parties will do to expand trade and create better trade rules. Without this, hopes of getting back into the top half of the OECD growth table will be frustrated.”

The TLN survey is available at www.tln.org.nz/polls. It asks ten straightforward questions including “Should NZ pursue a Trade Deal with the US?” and “Should Environmental or Labour Issues be included in Trade Deals?”

The results of the survey will be available at www.tln.org.nz on Friday 12 July.
The TLN will use the results to ask the various political parties to respond in the context of their trade policy strategy for New Zealand.

Mr Jacobi said that the survey followed the release of a new TLN publication “Trade Rules OK!” which makes the case for more open trade. “Trade is not about corporates and profits. It’s about jobs, opportunities and people. These are issues that should be at the heart of the election campaign”, concluded Mr Jacobi.

The opinion survey is at www.tln.org.nz/polls.
A PDF of ‘Trade Rules OK’ can be downloaded from www.tln.org.nz

For further information
Stephen Jacobi, TLN Executive Director, cell 021 490 974
Brian Lynch, TLN Chairman, cell 0274 452 958

www.tln.org.nz

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