Craig Foss
National Party MP & Chris Tremain National Party MP

1 December 2006

Hawke's Bay MPs want action on apples

The National Party's Hawke's Bay MPs are adding their voices to the call for decisive action by the Government on the apple dispute with Australia.

Craig Foss describes the decision as "more underarm bowling".

"As feared, the final Australian IRA is a total deception. The Labour Government must defend our interests and refer this dispute to the WTO disputes process.

"The report technically permits the import of NZ apples but it imposes such a draconian regime that it is essentially meaningless. No Hawke's Bay exporter could profitably export apples within the framework of the proposed regime.

"This is not CER. This is not Anzac. This is simply more under-arm bowling."

Chris Tremain agrees.

"The apple industry is a cornerstone of our region's economy. Nothing other than full and fair access is acceptable."

The pair say the Australians have brought this upon themselves.

"It is time to use the international rules and procedures designed specifically for this purpose. It is not an unfriendly act to use the procedures set out for all WTO Members to resolve intractable trade disputes - countries as close as the United States and Canada do this frequently.

"NZ and Australia have an excellent relationship across all fronts but on this issue we have reached the end of the road," Craig Foss and Chris Tremain say.

ENDS

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