Dom Post on Free Trade

The Dom Post editorial:

The gloom merchants and flat earthers who dispute the benefits of free trade agreements should examine a set of figures.

They are the figures showing the difference between New Zealand’s trade with China before the FTA between the two came into force in October 2008 and after it came into force. In the year to October 2008, exports to China totalled $2.2 billion. In the next year, they were $3.5b.

At a time when New Zealand is being buffeted by shockwaves from the global economic crisis, the deal has buffered jobs and boosted incomes. The political parties that voted against it – NZ First, the Greens and the Maori Party – should hang their heads in shame.

Can’t say it better than that. They are the enemies of our exporters!