Vege crisis symptom of a sick system
I always amazed at how New Zealand has been sucked into the free trade myth.

Government seems to work hand in hand with powerful private corporations to sell the idea that we should sign up to free trade deals which will provide endless riches for everyone.

The reality is international trade deals serve the interests of big business. They take away our power as citizens of a democracy and replace the sovereignty of the people with "rules" dreamt up by bureaucrats.

The idea of access to markets like China has long been a kind of holy grail promoted by the free market fans. Apparently it will be one of those win win situations they teach you about in Business School.

We get cheap products made by workers who aren't allowed a free vote, freedom of speech or independent trade unions. They get our farm produce.

But across the Tasman, farmers have realized that this fantastic system is not working. Vegetable growers are under pressure from imports grown in countries where there are lax environmental regulations and where labour exploitation is rife.

Ausveg chairman Michael Badcock said 900 of Australia's 4300 growers would be forced out of the industry if a free trade deal was signed with China, and about 5000 of the 23,000 processing jobs would disappear.

The Alliance supports fair trade – where trade serves the needs of all communities and their need for security, not where the short-term motivations of corporate profits are the goal. The current system is environmentally and socially wrong. There are better alternatives.
- posted by Victor @ 9:23 PM