For the curious, and in reply to a query about some of NZs laws, here's a snippet about the beginning for Free Trade talks with the U.S from a local blog...
Quote:http://norightturn.blogspot.com/ Labour is patting itself on the back over the announcement that it will begin free-trade negotiations with the USA. Meanwhile, the rest of us might like to ask how much it will cost and what we will have to give up in order for New Zealand farmers to make a bit more money. Fortunately, the US Trade Representative compiles an annual report on "Foreign Trade Barriers", which is quite informative on the issue. Here's a list of New Zealand policies the US considers to be unacceptable barriers to trade, culled from its New Zealand report: * Restrictions on GM crops; * Our current pathetically weak labelling scheme for GM products (informing consumers is a barrier to trade!); * Import restrictions on potentially diseased food (stopping people from getting BSE is a barrier to trade!); * Sane copyright law which recognises the rights of customers; * Voluntary local content quotas for TV and radio (customer preferences are a barrier to trade!); * The Overseas Investment Act (requiring that investment actually be beneficial is a barrier to trade!); * Pharmac. The question we should all be asking is how much, if any, of this we are willing to surrender so that farmers can get richer. My answer is "none". All of these policies serve a real purpose; they all benefit New Zealanders by protecting us from disease, giving us information about products, ensuring that products actually work, and allowing us to have a public health system. :EndQuote Pharmac is our governments agency for purchasing and subsidising pharmecueticals used in concert with our health system to regulate affordable medicines. _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
