Click here for our 2020 Election Priorities for International Trade
We support fair trade that’s good for economic prosperity, people, and the planet.
Trade agreements must respect democracy and state sovereignty
- The text of trade agreements should be made public before signing and Parliament should vote on whether to sign agreements.
- Trade agreements must allow te Tiriti o Waitangi to be upheld.
- Aotearoa New Zealand should oppose trade agreements that encourage deregulation and privatisation of public services.
Trade should encourage environmental sustainability
- International environmental agreements should take precedence over trade agreements.
- We should work with like-minded countries to develop standards and labels that show the environmental impact of goods, and restrict those that do not meet the standards.
- Hazardous wastes should not be traded unless for safe recycling or reprocessing.
- Tariffs, quotas, and import bans on unsustainable wood products should discourage deforestation.
- The Biosecurity Act should ensure biosecurity risks from international trade are minimised.
Trade can support fair and sustainable global development
- We should pursue fair and sustainable trading relationships with developing countries.
- The importation of goods made by forced labour, slavery, and child labour should be prohibited and discouraged through tariffs, quotas, and import bans.
- All countries’ rights to develop and enforce national food security policies should be upheld.
Foreign investment should benefit Aotearoa New Zealand
- Only New Zealand citizens and permanent residents should be able to buy land.
- International businesses with significant local operations should pay fair tax and meet the same corporate responsibility and sustainability standards as local businesses.
- Foreign investment controls should be tightened to encourage productive investment and discourage speculative investment or simply buying up New Zealand assets to export profits.
Government should support New Zealand businesses
- Exporters should be encouraged and supported to sustainably add value to exports, to maximise the economic return from exporting goods made in New Zealand.
- The Government should support local industries to reduce our dependence on imports.
- New Zealanders should be encouraged to buy locally made products and food.
