Greens support Alliance on Singapore FTA

The Green Party is pleased the Alliance Party has stuck to its principles and joined the Greens in opposing the Singapore free trade agreement, Greens Co-Leader Rod Donald said today.

"Clearly the Alliance has concluded that the free trade agreement is not in the best interests of New Zealand and we strongly agree with that position.

"We are looking forward to working with the Alliance to try to stop this agreement going ahead, but I fear Labour will push ahead with it unilaterally," Mr Donald said.

The Alliance's decision raises a significant constitutional issue, he said.

"The Labour component of the Government will in effect exercise the Crown prerogative when it signs the treaty. In the past, governments have had in-built majorities and could validate the prerogative on the floor of Parliament.

"What we will see now is the Labour component of the Government taking upon itself, without justification in our view, the right to sign an international treaty.

"This reinforces the need for international treaties to be ratified by the whole of Parliament as they are in countries like the United States," Mr Donald said.

ENDS

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