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Vanisa Dhiru, Trade Aid Wellington Trustee, dressed in wearable art Fair Trade coffee packet dress, promoting Make Wellington Fair Trade.

MEDIA RELEASE
Monday 11 May 2009

Make Wellington Fair Trade campaign launched

Wellington could soon be alongside cities like London, Leuven and Chicago when they convince the local council to pass a resolution to make Wellington a Fair Trade city.

A Fair Trade City means a city that has wide commitment from workplaces, churches, community groups, universities, schools and endorsement from the city council.

The initiative was bought to life at the Wellington City Council Strategy and Policy Committee on 7th May where Marion Woods and Paul Barber presented the Fair Trade Wellington case. Last Friday at the Trade Aid Wellington store, the campaign Make Wellington Fair Trade was launched, with community and council support.

Over the past few years the sales of Fair Trade products in NZ have grow exponentially to reach an estimated AU$32 million in 2008.

The Wellington region has been a leader in this growth of Fair Trade in New Zealand and there are now around 80 outlets for fair trade products as well as numerous schools, workplaces and faith communities that use Fair Trade products in their workplaces and meetings. Main stockists of fair trade are Commonsense Organics and Trade Aid, alongside various coffee houses, like People’s Coffee.

It’s these organisations who have joined forces to create the Make Wellington Fair Trade campaign.

Marian Woods, from Commonsense Organics mentioned on the night, “We want to be NZ’s first Fair Trade City – this would confirm Wellington’s reputation for leadership and innovation. The initiative would be recognised a very positive movement in the Wellington area and encourages organizations and businesses to join a rapidly growing market.”

Trade Aid Wellington Trust Chair, Paul Barber supports creating more awareness of the fair trade principles in the capital, “The movement supports commitments to environmental sustainability and international issues of economic development and poverty reduction.”

Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand’s (FTAANZ) Pravin Sawmy supports Wellington to become New Zealand’s first Fair Trade city and Australia’s first Fair Trade capital, “The Fair Trade city movement started in the UK, and now there are over 250 official cities in the world who call themselves Fair Trade. It’s time for New Zealand cities to come on board and get New Zealander’s enthused about Fair Trade.”

If you would like to support the campaign, sign the online petition on http://www.wellington.govt.nz/haveyoursay/e-petitions/ep/details/76

ENDS

More information
The WFTCG wishes Wellington City Council (WCC) to pass a resolution to declare Wellington a Fair Trade City. This was presented to the

The Fair Trade Association of Australia & New Zealand (FTAANZ) has set out the five goals required for a Council to be able to receive the Fair Trade Community award. These five goals are:
1. Council resolution that states the council’s support for fair trade
2. Fair Trade products are widely available in the region
3. Fair Trade products are used widely in workplaces, schools, and community groups.
4. Media coverage of the city’s decision to support fair trade and to raise awareness.
5. Sets up a local steering group to monitor and support progress towards the goals

What cities in the world are fair-trade?
• Fairtrade London - www.fairtradelondon.org.uk
• Fairtrade Leuven
• Fairtrade Chicago - www.chicagofairtrade.org
• Wales the is the world's first Fair Trade country

Draft criteria for a "Fair Trade Nation" are:
• 75% of the population should purchase a Fair Trade product every year.
• 40% of people regularly buy Fair Trade products.
• All local authorities have active Fair Trade groups working towards Fairtrade status.
• 55 per cent local authority areas with Fair Trade status with 10% annual increase in following year.

Cities around the world are declaring their commitment to the Fair Trade Movement such as many in the US:
• Brattleboro, Vermont, June 2007
• Milwaukee, Wisconsin, October 2007
• Amherst, Massachusetts, November 2007
• Taos, New Mexico, March, 2008
• Northampton, Massachusetts, April 2008
• San Francisco, May 2008
• Montclair, New Jersey, October 2008
• Ballston Spa, New York, January 2009
• Chicago, California, February 2009.

More info on progress:
• Online blog: http://fairtradewellington.wordpress.com to be directed to www.fairtradewellington.org.nz
• Campaigners on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1112852950656&comments=#/group.php?gid=71338485488&ref=ts
• Online petition: www.wellington.govt.nz/haveyoursay/e-petitions/ep/details/76
• Fair Trade websites: www.fairtrade.org.nz, http://ftf09.fairtrade.org.nz/about
• Big Action for Big Change: www.mybigaction.ning.com

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