[asia-apec 1095] New Zealand Press Assn on APEC

[Gatt Watchdog]

 APEC-GUNS 
PARLIAMENT PASSES BILL ALLOWING BODYGUARDS TO CARRY GUNS AT APEC
   Wellington, April 27 NZPA - Parliament tonight passed legislation 
allowing bodyguards of foreign leaders to carry weapons during the 
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit meeting in Auckland 
in September.
   The Arms Amendment Bill passed its third reading 107-12 with only 
the Alliance voting against it.
   Police Minister Clem Simich said it would apply only during the 
Apec meeting.
   ``We have a heavy responsibility while they are here. We are 
recognising that responsibility and sending a message that New 
Zealand is not a soft target,'' he said.
   He said the security operation for the meeting, due to be 
attended by 21 leaders including United States President Bill 
Clinton, would be the most wide-ranging ever seen in New Zealand.
   He assured Parliament that under the bill foreign bodyguards 
would work closely with the police and would not have diplomatic 
immunity if any weapon was misused.
   Labour supported the bill and MP Rick Barker said it was a 
sensible measure to deal with a unique security situation.
   ``It will not usurp the authority of the New Zealand police, it 
won't allow Rambo types to run around Auckland,'' he said.
   Alliance MP Matt Robson repeated his previous objections to the 
bill, saying it did not apply only to presidents and prime ministers 
but to foreign dignitaries and their families.
   ``It permits a very wide range of people to have armed bodyguards 
... it seems that demands from world leaders have been placed upon 
us,'' he said.
   Mr Robson argued that the police and New Zealand's military 
services had the ability to protect foreign leaders.
   NZPA PAR pw
   

27/04/99 20-05NZ


 APEC-CHCH-N/L 
APEC DELEGATES SEEK MORE GOVT SUPPORT
   Christchurch, April 27 NZPA - Apec delegates have criticised the 
hands-off approach to business of countries including New Zealand, 
calling for more support from the region's governments.
   While steering clear of any mention of handouts, business people 
in forums at Apec meetings in Christchurch today asked for central 
funding for start-up capital, education and training programmes, and 
common agreements on taxation, electronic commerce, and banking.
   New Zealand Government ministers at the conference have pushed 
the theme of creating an environment for business to help itself.
   Former trade minister Philip Burdon today echoed earlier 
statements by Prime Minister Jenny Shipley and Trade and Enterprise 
Minister Max Bradford ruling out Government assistance or protection 
for business.
   ``Preferential treatment can distort the marketplace and promote 
inefficient business,'' Mr Burdon said.
   Singapore-based consultant Laina (crrct) Greene said while big 
business often had the ear of government, their smaller colleagues 
were the backbone of the Asia-Pacific economy.
   The current business environment was not a level playing field 
and nations such as New Zealand and Singapore often confused 
regulation with support, she said. A middle-road approach was needed 
rather than extreme hands-off approach of some governments.
   Her comments were endorsed by delegates in other forums. Wendy 
Pye, chairwoman of the Apec education forum, said delegates wanted 
more involvement between business and education institutions and a 
say in curriculum development.
   A forum on electronic commerce heard that businesses in Asia were 
concerned they may be hit by New Zealand GST. One delegate said her 
company was faced with paying tax in three countries. She called for 
common tax laws, while another called for the abolition of GST.
   Internet fraud also concerned delegates, who spoke of safe havens 
for internet hackers if all Apec countries did not agree to a common 
approach to preventing it.
   Business delegates later made recommendations to the ministers of 
about 18 nations present at the conference including an action plan 
on trade barriers by next year to be posted on the internet. The 
plan includes:
   * Consistent accounting, tax, and banking systems; and
   * Common agreements on internet fraud, security, and dispute 
resolution.
   Speaking on behalf of the ministers, United States deputy 
secretary of commerce Robert Mallett said there was a great deal of 
consensus at an inter-government level about the problems smaller 
business faced. The issue was how to address them.
   He asked ministers to avoid the temptation to ``walk the walk and 
talk the talk, then go back to our own economies and do precisely 
what it was we were doing before''.
   Mr Bradford said most countries, including New Zealand, now 
recognised the importance of small business, and the necessity to do 
more to create a business-friendly environment.
   How this was achieved would be up to the leaders' summit later 
this year, although a joint communique from the Christchurch 
meetings would be issued tomorrow, Mr Bradford said.
   NZPA CHP reg
   

27/04/99 20-57NZ