No Aust. joy over imports

Press, 18 April 1979, Page 15

No Aust. joy over imports

NZPA Sydney The continuation of New Zealand’s fairly “restrictive scheme of import licensing” is unlikely to encourage progress in the development of trade between Australia and New Zealand, according to a leading Australian manufacturers’ official. The director of trade and tariffs for the Australian National Trade and Industry Council (Mr David Morton) said from Canberra that New Zealand’s basic allocation for consumer goods, at 110 per cent of last year’s qualifying licences, represented no increase in real terms. The 115 per cent allocation for other goods was a marginal increase only. The new schedule for the year ending June 30, 1980. was announced in Wellington on Wednesday. “Frankly, we are disappointed,” Mr Morton said. “\.e understand that

New Zealand has its bal-ance-of-payments problems and nobody in Australia is suggesting that New Zealand should dump import licensing. But in terms of the bilateral relationship we do not see why import licensing should be applied across the board to Australian products.” Mr Morton said that two-thirds of Tasman trade now came under schedule A (duty free) of the New Zealand-Austra-lian Free Trade Agreement (N.A.F.T.A.) and Australia placed no restrictions on New Zealand goods in that category with the exception of a few items, such as car parts, which were subject to quotas applied by both sides. "It appears that Australian goods being imported under schedule A will continue to be subject to import licensing." he said. “We would have hoped for some movement, away from that: after all., the whole basis of N.A.F.T.A.

is for two-way free trade.” Asked whether he felt the new licensing schedule would sour next week’s N.A.F.T.A. Ministerial talks in Wellington, Mr Morton said: “1 do not. know whether it would sour them, but it is unlikely to sweeten them. Maybe our Government was consulted before the licensing announcement, but I cannot imagine that the' schedule is likely to encourage progress in the trading relationship.” The ministerial talks will be held on April 10 and 11. Senior Governofficials from both countries will first meet on Monday.

The Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Resources (Mr Douglas Anthony) is expected to be the only Australian Minister at the talks. It is believed that the Minister for Industry and Commerce (Mr Philip Lynch) is unable to attend. New

Zealand normally is represented by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Overseas Trade (Mr Taiboys) and the Minister of Trade and Industry (Mr Adams-Schneider). Mr Morton said Australian manufacturers hoped increased access to the New Zealand market would develop from the discussions. “We are not prepared Io give further concessions without some reciprocity,” he said. It seemed unlikely, he said, that any agreement would be reached at this stage on a proposal to in- ' elude whitewear (goods | such as regrigerators and ( washing machines) under ( schedule A. The subject ( has been under study by I both countries, but recent ( rationalisation moves in Australia involving Email | and Kelvinator, two of the ( biggest manufacturers of I whitewear, had brought j new elements into consid- j eration.