Jim Anderton MP Wed Sep 1 1999

Alliance leader Jim Anderton is challenging the Trade Minister Lockwood Smith to debate tariffs in any electorate in the country.

In Parliament today Lockwood Smith asked the Alliance to set out 'before 1 October' which sectors of the economy need tariff protection.

'Okay,' said Jim Anderton.

The Alliance will make a significant announcement on the issue before APEC leaders arrive in Auckland in just over a week.

With details of the policy in the public arena, Jim Anderton says Lockwood Smith should choose any electorate in the country to debate him.

'Last year Lockwood was making outlandish claims about the Multilateral Agreement on Investment, but wouldn't dare to debate it in front of an audience. Now he's making the same wild claims about tariffs, but he won't front up to the voting public,' Jim Anderton said.

ENDS

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Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

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