APEC NEWS RELEASE: Issued by The APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) Ha Long, 29 July 2022 – Asia-Pacific business leaders in the APEC Business...
How trade can win on 23 September

Some reflections on the importance of trade in the forthcoming NZ election.
New Zealand has long occupied the moral high ground on international trade. Since we first reformed the economy in the early 1980s, moved away from manufacturing protection and agricultural subsidies, we have realised that we need an open global economy and trade rules we have had a hand in making to ensure we could compete internationally. That has led successive governments, of left and right, to champion freer trade through the World Trade Organisation and through a series of ambitious, high quality and comprehensive free trade agreements.
Today, even after all this effort, the world is still not a safe place for our international businesses. Arguably they enjoy vastly improved access to global markets than they once did, but business models are changing, new sectors are emerging particularly in services, protectionism is on the rise and non-tariff barriers continue to plague trade growth. My colleague expressed these challenges well in her recent post – “Ten ways in which New Zealand’s trade policy offers a brighter future for all of us”.
We are delighted that the trade spokespeople from the four major parties in the current election responded positively to our request to them to lay out their party positions on our election page. We are grateful to Fletcher Tabuteau MP (NZ First), Hon David Parker (Labour), Barry Coates MP (Green) and Hon Todd McClay (National). You can read their well-expressed views here. We are particularly pleased that all four parties express support for trade (albeit with some sharp differences about the value of certain trade agreements). That bodes very well for New Zealand’s future, whoever forms the government after 23 September.
It is not the purpose of this post to suggest who New Zealanders should vote for. We have too much respect for New Zealand’s democracy for that. Trade is only one of a number of key issues on which the election will be decided but it is an important underpinning of a more productive and competitive economy which can support greater investment in areas New Zealanders feel deeply about including health, education and social well-being. In our view, two things have to happen if trade is to be a winner in this election.
First, the next government must listen to the country’s international businesses. There are many mechanisms for this including through the newly established Ministerial Advisory Group, whose role we hope will be strengthened and expanded. Businesses know what the international trade challenges are better than governments. Strengthened public private partnerships need to be developed. Both business and government need to share the task each from their vantage points of explaining the importance of trade to public stakeholders and devising policies and strategies to make sure the benefits of trade are more widely spread.
Second, bipartisanship needs to be restored. This will help ensure there is continuity of policy direction between governments. Bipartisanship was broken in the fractious debate around the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and today we find no complete alignment of view between the parties about the future of this important agreement. This is not good for New Zealand’s international business.
On 24 September the task remains as it was on the 23rd: we at Tradeworks and NZIBF stand ready to work with the incoming government to secure advantage for New Zealand in global markets.
This post was prepared by Stephen Jacobi, Executive Director of the NZ International Business Forum.
REGISTER WITH TRADE WORKS
Register to stay up to date with latest news, as well as saving and discussing articles you’re interested in.
Latest News
Asia-Pacific Business Leaders to APEC Leaders: Speed up economic recovery and regain growth momentum
APEC NEWS RELEASE: Issued by The APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) Ha Long, 29 July 2022 – Asia-Pacific business leaders in the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), meeting this week in Ha Long, Viet Nam, expressed deep concern about the unprecedented crises...
TradeWindow: Digital trade provides hope through challenging times
It won’t come as a surprise to many people to hear that we remain in a very challenging situation when it comes to global business. Our exporters are operating in an environment that is difficult to navigate due to continuing uncertainties – the seemingly endless...
TRADE AND CLIMATE POLICIES NEED TO WORK TOGETHER – BUSINESS FORUM
A new report, commissioned by the NZ International Business Forum (NZIBF) and prepared by Adrian Macey, former Climate Change Ambassador and World Trade Organization (WTO) Lead Negotiator, shows that trade policy and actions to address climate change can be...
Trade and Climate Change: State of Play
TRADE AND CLIMATE CHANGE: STATE OF PLAY. A discussion paper prepared for the NZIBF by Adrian Macey, June 2022. Download here.
THE NZ/EU FTA IS LIKE THE CURATE’S EGG
In which we like the good parts of the NZ EU FTA…. Who remembers the curate’s egg? It’s when the nervous Curate, asked by the Bishop, if everything is ok with his boiled egg, replies “It’s good in parts, my Lord”. So too the recently concluded NZ/EU FTA, which has...
ADDRESS TO THE FONTERRA ALUMNI GOVERNANCE DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP
ADDRESS TO THE FONTERRA ALUMNI GOVERNANCE DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP AUCKLAND, 29 JUNE 2022 STEPHEN JACOBI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NZ INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS FORUM THE GLOBAL GOVERNANCE CHALLENGE Thanks to my friend Janine Smith for inviting me to speak to you today....
NZ EU FTA – A MIXED BAG, SAYS BUSINESS FORUM
Reacting to the overnight conclusion of negotiations for a free trade agreement between New Zealand and the European Union, the NZ International Business Forum (NZIBF), which brings together a cross section of major exporters, said the outcome was mixed in terms of...
NZ EU FTA COMING DOWN TO THE WIRE – HOLD THE LINE, SAYS BUSINESS FORUM
As negotiations accelerate to conclude an ambitious free trade agreement between New Zealand and the European Union, the NZ International Business Forum (NZIBF), representing a cross section of major exporters, urges the Government and its negotiators to hold out for...
WTO BACK IN BUSINESS – INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS FORUM
Media release, 19 June 2022 The NZ International Business Forum (NZIBF) welcomes the outcome of the World Trade Organization (WTO) 12th Ministerial Council meeting in Geneva and congratulates Trade Minister O’Connor and officials. “It’s great to see the WTO back in...
Address to the 50th One Stop Update for the Accountant in Business
ADDRESS TO THE 50TH ONE STOP UPDATE FOR THE ACCOUNTANT IN BUSINESS CHRISTCHURCH, WELLINGTON, AUCKLAND, MAY 2022 STEPHEN JACOBI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NZ INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS FORUM ONE STOP GLOBAL ECONOMIC UPDATE Thanks to Brightstar for once again inviting me to...
Remarks by Rachel Taulelei to APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade, 21 May 2022
ABAC NEW ZEALAND REMARKS TO ABAC-MINISTERS RESPONSIBLE FOR TRADE DIALOGUE 21 MAY 2022 RACHEL TAULELEI ABAC NZ Chair, Ministers The Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP) remains the preeminent economic priority for the Asia-Pacific business community. It...
Deepening ECONOMIC INTEGRATION and EQUIPPING BUSINESS FOR DYNAMIC, INCLUSIVE and SUSTAINABLE GROWTH ARE KEY to ECONOMIC RECOVERY, say business leaders
Vancouver, 28 April 2022 –Asia-Pacific business leaders in the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), meeting this week in Vancouver, affirmed their determination to continue to work closely together to respond to the challenge of sustaining the region’s growth...
FROM APEC AND CPTPP TO IPEF – SMALL STEP OR GIANT LEAP?
The US idea of an Indo Pacific Framework (IPEF) continues to gain traction but is not without complication. Aotearoa-New Zealand is a great joiner - from the very beginning of the United Nations to the important economic institutions like the WTO, APEC, CPTPP and...
Remarks to Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee
NZ INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS FORUM REMARKS TO THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE AND TRADE COMMITTEE INTERNATIONAL TREATY EXAMINATION OF THE NZ/UK FREE TRADE AGREEMENT 17 MARCH 2022 STEPHEN JACOBI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Madam Chair, Members of the Committee Thank you for the...
Submission to the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee
INTERNATIONAL TREATY EXAMINATION OF THENEW ZEALAND UNITED KINGDOM FREE TRADE AGREEMENT MARCH 2022 Introduction and Summary 1. This submission is made on behalf of the New Zealand International Business Forum (NZIBF) whose members are listed at Annex A 1 . NZIBF is a...