20 NOVEMBER 2015

Nathan Guy’s Attack upon Russia Reckless - Peters

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy may have harmed New Zealand’s standing as a United Nations Security Council member with a reckless attack on Russia.

“Russia is in from the cold in the concerted fight against ISIS, but Mr Guy’s ill-informed comments in Parliament could harm us as a Security Council member,” says the New Zealand First Leader and Member of Parliament for Northland Rt Hon Winston Peters.

“Aside from understanding why Minister Guy is shielded from parliamentary questions, the mocking tone of this embarrassing outburst came from a single question seeking an explanation for the Prime Minister’s unofficial trade boycott of Russia.

“This is something that’s cost New Zealand dairy farmers about $60m in lost sales, but the opportunity cost is much higher. Being a dairy farmer, one would think Mr Guy would be attuned to the fall in dairy prices and the need to open real markets up.

“Minister Guy not only said that it ‘does not make sense’ to negotiate a free-trade agreement with Russia, the world’s number two dairy importer, but then bizarrely justified this by adding he was focused on the ‘wider geopolitical issues of right now’.

“As dairy farmers check their overdraft, Minister Guy’s words will not comfort them. Farmers need to know that while Minister Guy and his National colleagues have ruled a Russian Free Trade Deal out, New Zealand First hasn’t.

“This is a Minister so out of touch that he has totally overlooked G20 discussions between President Putin and President Obama, as well as UK Prime Minister Cameron.

“Minister Guy’s comments were as subtle as a brick through a diplomatic plate glass window. He has to recognise that words mean much and what he said in Parliament will be read in Moscow at this most sensitive of times,” says Mr Peters.

To watch Minister Guy in action click here and go to 5’12”

ENDS

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