Feds Urged To Support WTO Round

Farming and Subsidies - Five Years on is the title of a book launched at the Federated Farmers of New Zealand (FFNZ) conference in Rotorua today. Former FFNZ President Brian Chamberlin, has written the document to compliment his 1996 book Farming and Subsidies - Debunking the Myths. n an address to the conference Mr. Chamberlin said that after receiving so much support from the New Zealand public in his work in the Uruguay Round, he was shocked to see that there was now opposition to further trade liberalisation given New Zealand's reliance on trade.

Mr Chamberlin urged delegates to support the efforts of FFNZ and the New Zealand Government in securing a successful WTO trade round and to respond to any inaccurate criticism of the country's efforts.

Mr Chamberlin pointed out that trade liberalisation would not only boost the New Zealand economy, but would improve the position of most of the world's poor.

The tactics used by those opposing trade liberalisation were questioned by Mr Chamberlin. He gave the example of those who oppose Nike on the basis the company operates sweatshops and exploits its workforce, when in fact the opposite is true.

On a recent visit to Vietnam, Mr Chamberlin visited a Nike factory. He told the audience that the factory he and his colleagues inspected was one of the most modern he had ever seen and the workforce was well treated. While wages were much lower than in New Zealand, but they are on a par with those paid to teachers and only slightly lower than doctors.

Farming and Subsidies - Five Years On is available from Federated Farmers Wellington office. PH 0800 327 646

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