[asia-apec 1129] Apec's global vision a 'real worry' says law professor

[Gatt Watchdog]

Christchurch Star, May 12 1999

Apec's global vision a 'real worry' says law professor
By Marianne Betts

Apec's policies are dangerous but its crumbling status means it
can not be taken too seriously, says a leading critic.

Auckland University law professor Jane Kelsey, in Christchurch
last week for anti-Apec meetings, said Apec now lacked substance
and had become fraught with international tensions.

She said it had problems of legitimacy in the way it operated in
secrecy and was lacking credibility.

Despite this, she said the Apec's vision of global free markets
and free trade was a "real worry".

She said the Apec agenda had already been seen on a micro-level in
New Zealand with the introduction of Rogernomics 15 years ago.
During most of that period, contrary to predictions, this country
had seen slow economic growth.

Dr Kelsey said Apec's agenda encouraged privatisation of state
assets and services, and foreign investment - policies that in New
Zealand had seen transnational companies pumping most of their
profits out of the country.

Dr Kelsey said these policies and others embraced by Apec had
serious flow-on effects, including increased inequality and
poverty, especially for indigenous peoples, women, children, and
the elderly.

They benefited an elite in New Zealand, but widened the gap
between rich and poor, and created a drop in employment standards
as workers competed to produce goods for the least cost.

She said Apec emerged in 1989 in the Asia-Pacific region after
major trade blocks were established in Europe and North America.

However, she said Apec had big problems, as they were not even
delivering what big business wanted, and the Business Advisory
Council had been scathing about Apec.

She said Apec "exists" and the host Government each year would not
want to be responsible for de-establishing it, "so it is likely to
limp on".

New Zealand is hosting Apec this year with the small and medium
enterprises and senior officials meetings having recently been
held in Christchurch.  Other meetings are planned around the
country, in the lead up to the leader's meeting in Auckland in
September.