[asia-apec 1283] NZ Farmers and Free Trade

[APEC Monitoring Group]

Canterbury Business Monthly August 1999
Fair deal for farmers
Pastoral farming still "economic backbone"
By Tony Orman

Andrew Barker, a Marlborough farmer has suddenly stepped from his farm gate into the political world as an outspoken advocate for farmers.

This Dashwood farmer with both quick sense of humour and smile, caused a furore when he advocated a farmers tractor cavalcade to the forthcoming APEC gathering in Auckland in September as a protest against unfair practices in free trade, notably the United States lamb tariff issue.  National Federated Farmers president Malcolm Bailey has publicly rapped Andrew Barker's knuckles for wanting to gatecrash the Government's APEC Party.

Following a spell in hospital after weathering the disastrous 1992 winter snows on Mason Hills, Mr Barker began to wonder where New Zealand and farmers were heading after several years of  "reforms and a total free trade" philosophy.

"I read a lot and I got to thinking.  My gosh that makes me sound like Richard Prebble," he grins.

Mr Barker says he realised farmers could not be insular and isolated on their farms.  The policies of government can impact deeply on farming incomes.

"It seems governments of the last 15 years have decided pastoral farming is a thing of the past.  Yet farming is still 60 percent of exports and the backbone of the country."

Mr Barker came to the conclusion that the policies of the 80s Labour Government and continued by the 90s National Government were seriously flawed.

"It really upsets me the way New Zealand society and farming have gone downhill," he says.  "So I guess it's time to stand up and be counted."

After all Australian farmers are far more assertive than their New Zealand counterparts and the French farmers are quite militant.

He decided that something should be done beyond the farm gate.

After his 10 week bout of heavy thinking, Mr Barker concluded that free trade ideology is a myth.  The reality is fair trade.  Yet he does not feel anger at the Americans for their lamb market stance.

"Charity begins at home.  I don't blame the US for looking after its farmers.  That's what New Zealand governments should do within the bounds of common sense and fair trade."

He realises the days of SMPs and other generous subsidies of past governments are gone.

"We're not wanting handouts but there's a lot, lot more both in understanding and assistance the government could have done during the recent droughts," he says.

So it's to arms, or rather tractors, for a protest at the September APEC conference.  Fill up with diesel, grab a thermos and a cut lunch, take a warm swandri and hit the road.

"Let's get real.  If the rest of the world don't support free trade why should we?" he asks.

Mr Barker is undeterred in plans to protest at September's APEC conference despite a rebuff at the recent Federated Farmers conference.

Last month Andrew Barker, on behalf of Marlborough Federated Farmers put a remit to the annual conference calling for a "peaceful protest" at APEC about US hypocrisy in placing tariffs on New Zealand.

"New Zealand would be stupid not to support the ideal of free trade but in practical terms of politics and governments, it is not workable," he says New Zealand is not getting reciprocal free trade, therefore fair trade instead of total free trade, was more realistic. 

Mr Barker still intends to pursue the protest action, particularly because of strong expressions of support, among them offers to pay for fuel.  However on reflection he considers there may be other targets besides the APEC conference such as the New Zealand Government, and the Meat Board and the US.