Chambers Call For 70% Export Growth Over Decade

5 JUNE 2003

Chambers Call For 70% Export Growth Over The Next Decade

“We need to significantly improve our national export performance if New Zealand is to get back into the top half of the OECD” said Wellington Regional Chamber of Commerce CEO Philip Lewin today.

Mr Lewin was speaking at the launch in Christchurch of “Growing our Exports 70% Over the Next Decade”, the second in a five-volume series of policy documents being put out by New Zealand Chambers of Commerce this year.

“Our action points are:

- To get in behind our Government trade negotiators, and ensure they have the resources to win the best deals possible for New Zealand;

- To help build New Zealand public support for more trade;

- To bolster relationships with Chambers in those countries where New Zealand is seeking bilateral trade deals, and work with them to encourage support for reducing barriers to trade;

- To work with our members and the main Australian Chambers to develop a networking and introduction service for members entering the Australian markets; and

- To keep an eye on the performance of our major export earners, and make sure constraints on their growth are being addressed.

“As all New Zealanders know, trade policy is not an area for those in search of instant gratification. The road is hard and long”.

“But our country lives by what we can sell to the global economy - and given the barriers that are still in the way of much of what we produce, no area beyond trade negotiations promises greater rewards for New Zealand over time” concluded Mr Lewin.

ENDS

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