Promise can still be kept

Promise can still be kept

The Buy NZ Made campaign says it's not too late for the Government to keep its promise over support for New Zealand-made goods.

Today's Dominion Post says Economic Development Minister Jim Anderton "broke a promise" to give $100,000 to the Buy NZ Made campaign.

The Dominion Post reports Mr Anderton as saying the offer was withdrawn because the business community could not meet a condition of the offer, that it contribute a similar amount.

But Buy NZ Made President Dalton Kelly says this caveat is news to him. "Certainly our members could have matched the funds offered, since they do contribute financially to campaign activities on an ongoing basis," Mr Kelly said. "It seems that the terms of the offer are being made explicit for the first time."

Mr Kelly said the funding promise appeared to evaporate during an attempt by the Government to acquire the 'Buy NZ-Made' brand when it was seeking to involve several government agencies in a 'buy local' branding exercise.

"The proposed deal would have seen the consortium take over the brand without allowing the Buy NZ Made campaign to have input into the subsequent use of the brand. The deal did not go ahead because it was not in the interests of the many small companies that have paid for Buy NZ Made initiatives over the years, to have their brand taken over by government agencies."

"In other countries, their 'buy local' campaigns receive millions of dollars worth of government support, without any attempts by those governments to own the brand or control the campaign."

Mr Kelly said it was not too late for the Government fulfil its promise. "The need for promoting Kiwi products, in the interests of New Zealand jobs and the New Zealand economy, is even more important at the present time."

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