[asia-apec 1246] NZ APEC Media

[APEC Monitoring Group]

The Daily Post, Rotorua, New Zealand
12 August 1999

Apec opponents' warning

Apec opponents are meeting in Rotorua tonight to tell residents about the
"danger of the free trade and free market ideology" that Apec is promoting.

Auckland University law lecturer Jane Kelsey, Maori broadcaster Tere
Harrison, and Trade Union Federation representative Robert Reid would speak
at the meeting, which had been called by the Apec Monitoring Group.

Dr Kelsey would give a legal/economic overview of Apec and would explain why
the "free trade agenda" was not in the interests of New Zealanders, Mr Reid
said.

Ms Harrison would address the meeting about the impact Apec was having on
Maori, while Mr Reid said he would speak about the negative effects Apec was
having on workers and the manufacturing sector.

"The Apec Monitoring Group has organised meetings, conferences and protests
at the time of every Apec senior officials' meeting in New Zealand this year
leading up to the leaders' summit in Auckland in a month's time," Mr Reid
said.

"We have been very pleased by the support that we have had for our message
from the New Zealand public.

"When people see their democracy threatened, when Maori see a new
colonisation taking place, when workers see their jobs being lost, then they
see through the Government's pro-Apec, pro-free trade ideology," he said.

The meeting is in the old Department of Conservation Building, Amohau
Street, at 7.30 tonight.