Dr The Rt Hon Lockwood Smith
SPEAKER

6 October 2011

Speaker to visit Washington DC to advance trade agenda

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr The Rt Hon Lockwood Smith, will be visiting Washington DC from 11 to 19 October to ensure momentum is maintained on New Zealand’s trade agenda.

“As a former trade minister, I have long-standing trade contacts in the United States at both political and officials level,” says Dr Smith.

“I am making this visit at the request of the current Government to ensure that progress on free trade continues, and I look forward to working on this with New Zealand’s Ambassador, Mike Moore.

“Negotiations have been on-going on the Trans Pacific Partnership, and I would like to see momentum on important potential agreements like this continued.”

“I am keen to help New Zealand advance its free trade agenda, which has always been a bipartisan policy that successive governments have pursued.”

Dr Smith’s itinerary for the visit includes calls on Capitol Hill with various members of Congress, and meetings with representatives of Treasury, the National Economic Council and other organisations.

ENDS

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