Media Release from Norsewear New Zealand Ltd
11 August 2006
“Buy Kiwi Made” Should Mean Kiwi Made - Norsewear
The Government’s decision that goods which are “not necessarily made in New Zealand” will be included in the
taxpayer-funded Buy Kiwi Made campaign has been criticized by Norsewear New Zealand CEO Robert Linterman.
“The decision to include companies which manufacture overseas undermines the credibility of the entire campaign. We were
assured that the purpose of Buy Kiwi Made was to encourage the production in New Zealand, help build up our
manufacturing capability and create employment. It’s hard to see how classing Icebreaker – a company which does much of
its processing and manufacturing in China – as Kiwi Made will help those achieve those aims,” says Mr Linterman.
“The Buy Kiwi Made campaign should support products which are actually Kiwi made – not just Kiwi designed. Norsewear is
incredibly proud to be a true New Zealand made company selling only clothing made in New Zealand from New Zealand
products. Buy Kiwi Made should be guiding consumers to genuine local products – not helping support companies who have
chosen to move parts of their business to China,” he says.
“It is a poor decision to water down the new Buy Kiwi Made brand by including these kinds of companies and their
products. Frankly, I’m surprised because less than a month ago the Government spokeswoman Sue Bradford was publicly
saying that including companies like Icebreaker in Buy Kiwi Made would be ‘letting New Zealand manufacturers down’. She
is dead right about that,” says Mr Linterman.
“Buy Kiwi Made should mean exactly what it says. We should be promoting companies like Norsewear who have made the
decision to stay ‘true to country’ and not rewarding those that have chosen to use cheap offshore labour. The Government
must reconsider and reverse its decision,” he says.
ENDS