[asia-apec 1563] Singapore-NZ FTA

[APEC Monitoring Group]

 From Newsroom
www.newsroom.co.nz

Govt Allies Reject Singapore Free Trade Agreement
Staff Reporter Patric Lane 11/09/00 16:24:00

The Government will need the support of the National Party to ratify a
proposed free trade agreement with Singapore.

The Alliance has just announced it will not support a free trade treaty with
Singapore.

The Green Party Co-Leader, Rod Donald, confirmed to NewsRoom that the Green
Party would also vote against any legislative changes needed to ratify the
treaty.

Prime Minister Helen Clark said this afternoon that Cabinet had considered
the agreement today and decided to take the next step of sending it on for
select committee consideration.

Last month, Miss Clark said the Government would put the treaty to a
parliamentary vote that would be symbolic but full of meaning.

However, today she said that while the Executive had the power to sign the
treaty, it would still need the support of Parliament to make a number of
legislative changes in order to ratify it.

With the Alliance and Greens indicating they will vote against the free
trade agreement, the Government will need the support of National to enact
the free trade agreement.