[asia-apec 1571] GATT Watchdog Outrage over NZ Govt attempt to sneak Singapore free trade deal through

[APEC Monitoring Group]

GATT Watchdog
PO Box 1905
Christchurch

GATT Watchdog Outraged at Indecent Haste to Sneak Singapore Agreement
Through

MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE USE

14 September 2000

While attention has focussed on the Parliamentary play-fight between Helen
Clark and Jenny Shipley over the Singapore free trade and investment
agreement the Government is trying to quietly and swiftly sneak the deal
through, reneging on earlier statements that the public will be able to have
any real input on the agreement, says GATT Watchdog..

GATT Watchdog learnt yesterday that Trade Minister Jim Sutton will give
evidence this morning (Thursday 14 September)  on the "closer economic
partnership" with Singapore to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select
Committee which will consider the process for a select committee hearing on
the agreement.

"We understand that the call for submissions will go out tomorrow, with a
ten-day deadline. This government says it believes in "free and fair trade".
It says it believes in ‘open government’.  Its actions show that it really
doesn’t give a damn about free, fair and informed debate on the issues,"
said Aziz Choudry of GATT Watchdog.

"Pursuant to a February 2000 Cabinet memo, the Select Committee must report
to Parliament within 15 sitting days. The 1999 review of sessional orders
said that 15 sitting days should be a MINIMUM time for a committee
examination.  The equivalent committee in Australia also has a 15 sitting
day MINIMUM."

"This is in clear breach of the understanding given by Mr Sutton about the
process surrounding this agreement.  It would set a dangerous precedent for
the consideration of future international agreements.  Given that the Closer
Economic Partnership with Singapore (CEP) is seen as a step towards a
possible trade and investment agreement encompassing New Zealand, Australia
and South East Asia, that is very disturbing."

"There is absolutely no justification for this indecent haste.  The
Singapore agreement is not due to come into effect till January 1 2001."

"Jim Sutton recently told journalists ‘There is a high degree of public
interest in this agreement. I am delighted that MPs and the public will now
have an opportunity to have their say on it.’. Now Mr Sutton and co are
thumbing their noses at the public and any MPs who want an opportunity to
reconsider this agreement which has been negotiated in secrecy", said Mr
Choudry.

"The text of the CEP was only made available on Monday.  It is 182 pages
long with an 8-page National Interest Analysis. To expect people to obtain,
read, analyse, digest, write and deliver submissions on this important
agreement in a ten day period is outrageous and insulting."

"People need an appropriate amount of time to consider the contents of the
agreement and its implications.  Anything less than a month is just not good
enough - even if the Trade Minister was to personally deliver a copy of the
text of the agreement to every household in the country"

"We suspect Mr Sutton and Ms Clark want this deal stitched up so they can
announce it with great fanfare around the time of November’s APEC Summit in
Brunei.  With APEC in virtual paralysis and the WTO reeling from failure to
launch a new round of global trade talks in Seattle last year, both
governments see the agreement as a way to symbolically put some "ooomph"
back into international trade and investment liberalisation."

"Like its predecessors, this government is petrified of any genuine contest
of ideas about free trade.  Foreign Affairs and Trade officials did not want
a repeat of the 1997/8 hui held to "consult" Maori at which the Multilateral
Agreement on Investment was solidly rejected.  With the failure of free
trade and investment policies to deliver the promised benefits to the
majority of New Zealanders, and this week’s mass mobilisations against the
global free market economy outside the World Economic Forum in Melbourne
fresh in many people’s minds, it aims to sneak this through and avoid
further controversy. It must be stopped."

For further comment, ph Aziz Choudry, GATT Watchdog  - 03 3662803