Free Trade deals for election year

Fran O’Sullivan covers the progress of free trade deals.

The NZ-China FTA is due to be completed in early 2008.  This will be a significant achievement for the Government and will have widespread support.

The intensity of the support will depend on the details.  For example the Aust-US FTA had so many exemptions, that it was barely worth having.

There is also a (small) chance that the US might announce we will be placed in the queue for a US FTA.  That would also be a significant achievement, and would be popular with business.

I think one of the bravest things Clark has done is to drive her party clearly into the ranks of the free trade supporters.  Many on the left are very suspicious of removing tariffs and see protectionism as good for NZ jobs.  Both Clark and Goff deserve praise for adopting a bipartisan trade policy, and keeping up the work of previous Governments.