by frog
It was nice to see the Maori Party come out yesterday in opposition to government’s plan to give China preferential trading rights in our country.
“Although we’re told there may be benefits for Maori, the downsides in terms of compromises to our sovereignty, threats to the status of the Treaty, the impact on work standards and wage rates, and China’s lack of respect for human rights, indigenous rights, and the environment, mean the downsides of any Free Trade Agreement with China are simply unacceptable at this time,?
Hopefully New Zealand First will stop vacillating on this issue soon and declare where it stands too.
While there is unlikely to be a majority in Parliament opposing the agreement increased numbers voicing concern will help add weight to the call for the government to allow full and proper consultation on the trade agreement.
Hopefully it will also lead the government and National to debate the trade agreement in terms of its impact on communities here and in China rather than its effect on the false idol of GDP growth.
Published in Economy, Work, & Welfare | Parliament | Society & Culture by frog on Wed, April 2nd, 2008
Tags: China, Frog, frogblog, green party, greens, hone Harawira, human rights, maori parti, new zealand, Parliament, trade agreement
on the trolls and those who are unable to keep on topic
economy over human rights of chinese and tibetans?
free trade = low wages and no environmental standards. offsourcing pollution and jobs, bringing in cheap goods. good for mc donalds and the warehouse and fonterra, bad for new zealand and chinese workers (as Air NZ recently proved).
good one phil goff and john key.
good on the maori party for making a stand on this one.
national and labour are one in the same.
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why our bloke slick bob parker down here, i don’t see why he didn’t take the chance to change to the old Garry Moore routine, its crazy to go to china, why just doesn’t he take a holiday somewhere and not be slick like this and suck up to everyone as long as your on tv,
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M.A.N as in bus
Greens not alone, Loui here from New Zealand message board, we too have been having discussions on trade with China, word ‘ morals ” a fickle one around parts of the beehive.
Agree with the comments re the Christchurch city council.
Is our government in-part not unlike China’s with regards to Freedom of speech ?
The blog that spoke out against a government department was taken off-line several times by the government.
On a local level the MAXX website for the Auckland regional public transport network took away its forum from its own community without any notice, and no member contact details passed on. The forum was for discussion on improvements for services and compliments.
We have set up a forum at http://nzmessageboard.co.nz/apt/ for the Auckland regional public transport axed forum community, please come and support Ron who is passionate about improving services.
We will set up a forum and host it for free to any club or organisation.
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