Tag: Industry

Q + A: Winston Peters – Fed Farmers too cosy with government

Posted by | Aug 9, 2015 | , , |

Press Release – TVNZ MICHAEL Returning to the dairy downturn and the question of what role the government has in navigating the countrys rural sector through the pain of global uncertainty. Lets bring in Northland MP and NZ First Leader Winston Peters and in Christchurch …Q + A: Winston Peters – Fed Farmers too cosy with the government to help farmers Q + A Episode 824 WINSTON PETERS/WILLIAM ROLLESTON Interviewed by MICHAEL MICHAEL Returning to the dairy downturn and the question of what role the government has in navigating the country’s rural sector through the pain of global uncertainty. Let’s bring in Northland MP and NZ First Leader Winston Peters and in Christchurch Dr William Rolleston, Federated Farmers President. Good morning, gentlemen. Winston Peters, if I could start with you. Will this low forecast send New Zealand into a recession? WINSTON I believe so, but this forecast is going to get worse. We have still got people in denial. MICHAEL How low will it go, do you think? WINSTON Well, we predicted it a long time ago, that this was not going to be the end of it. I’m not being wise after the event – if you want to go back over our press statements, I’ve been saying it for some time. Because our information seems to be a bit better than some of the so-called industries’ information....

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Post-cabinet: TPP, Family Violence and Solid Energy

Posted by | Aug 3, 2015 | , , , , |

Article – Megan Gattey Prime Minister John Key discussed the current situation on the TPP, Solid Energy and the upcoming discussion document on family violence in a post-cabinet press conference today.Post-cabinet: TPP, Family Violence and Solid Energy By Megan Gattey Photo: Francis Cook Prime Minister John Key discussed the current situation on the TPP, Solid Energy and the upcoming discussion document on family violence in a post-cabinet press conference today. The TPP agreement was unable to be concluded over the weekend, and Key said there were a few challenging issues still remaining. “There is a finite window where if we can’t complete the deal in that time, it becomes for difficult for the United States and others,” he said. The offer on dairy from the discussions were “not close enough for a deal to be concluded”, he said. “We want to get the best deal for New Zealand, but not at any cost.” Key said he was confident that the involved countries would reach an agreement that would be in the best interests of New Zealanders. “We won’t get rich selling to ourselves.” He said coming to an agreement would give New Zealand exporters and investors access to more than 8 million companies, and ultimately the TPP would create better opportunities and standard or living for New Zealanders. Justice Amy Adams will soon be announcing a discussion document about...

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Remarks at the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council Annual Gala

Posted by | Jun 17, 2015 | , , , , |

Press Release – U.S. Department of State Remarks Antony J. Blinken Deputy Secretary of State Four Seasons Hotel Washington, DC June 15, 2015Remarks at the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council Annual Gala Remarks Antony J. Blinken Deputy Secretary of State Four Seasons Hotel Washington, DC June 15, 2015 ________________________________________ DEPUTY SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, thank you all very, very much, and good evening. Yancy, thank you for a very generous introduction and for all the extraordinary work you do, including your support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which we’ll come to in a little while, and for your work with governments around the world to advance the interests of our businesses. You mentioned the plight of the speechwriter, and it is something I’m very, very sympathetic to. And I have an extraordinary woman who is working with me, but it reminded me of a time in the 1990s when I was working for President Clinton, and he had just delivered a very successful State of the Union address. And we were back at the White House, gathering for a party. And I was there with his top domestic policy speechwriter, Michael Waldman, and the two of us were happily soaking in the very positive vibrations for the evening; the speech had gone down well. And the president came by and introduced us to a couple of prominent people whose names I won’t mention,...

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Fictitious Withdrawals: The Myth of US Disengagement

Posted by | Jan 27, 2014 | , , |

Column – Binoy Kampmark Nothing happens at the supposedly dazzling do at the World Economic Forum held at Davos at least, of the constructive sort. It is a heavily catered talk bonanza on what people have already agreed to. It has a huge pretence to discuss policy. Fictitious Withdrawals: The Myth of US Disengagement by Dr. Binoy Kampmark January 27, 2013 The United States was blessed among nations. On the north, she had a weak neighbour; on the south, another weak neighbour; on the east, fish; and on the west, fish. Jules Jusserand, French Ambassador to the US, 1910 Nothing happens at the supposedly dazzling do at the World Economic Forum held at Davos – at least, of the constructive sort. It is a heavily catered talk bonanza on what people have already agreed to. It has a huge pretence to discuss policy. This year’s backslapping colloquium even had a touch of star dust in the form of Goldie Hawn and meditation aficionado Matthieu Ricard. But one thing to take away from the conference were remarks made by US Secretary of State John Kerry. He was not pleased. Kerry was slighted by remarks that the United States was disengaging. Relevant questions: how and where? Reasons vary on this purported power withdrawal. Perhaps the US hegemon is getting sated. The strains placed by natural resources are less, given the increased...

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TPP: Anti-gas mining groups say no to investors suing govts

Posted by | Oct 3, 2013 | , , |

Press Release – AFTINET More than 70 organisations including 54 regional groups ranging from Mirboo in Victoria, to the Cassowary Coast in North Queensland, to Walgett in NSW, in traditional areas of Coalition support, have endorsed a letter to Trade Minister Andrew Robb.October 2, 2013 Rural anti-gas mining groups say no to investors suing governments for environmental regulation as Trans-Pacific trade talks resume More than 70 organisations including 54 regional groups ranging from Mirboo in Victoria, to the Cassowary Coast in North Queensland, to Walgett in NSW, in traditional areas of Coalition support, have endorsed a letter to Trade Minister Andrew Robb. They express their strong opposition to clauses in trade agreements which would enable foreign investors to sue governments for damages in international tribunals if government regulation is seen to ‘harm’ their investment. These proposals are known as investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS). The Minister will meet with other Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPPA) Ministers at the APEC meeting in Bali on October 3-4 before a TPPA Leaders’ meeting on October 7 which is expected to announce progress in the negotiations. “ISDS would reduce the ability of governments to regulate the activities of foreign companies even if these activities have a negative impact on health and the environment. This would prevent governments from responding to community concerns about Coal Seam Gas mining (CSG)”, Drew Hutton, President of Lock the Gate, said...

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