March 02, 2022
Tirikatene touts FTA benefits
Trade Undersecretary Rino Tirikatene says a free trade agreement with the United Kingdom is a milestone for indigenous people.
It includes a chapter on Māori including the history of their relationship with the UK.
It also has a Treaty of Waitangi clause giving New Zealand room to move if provisions in the agreement are seen to be in conflict with the treaty.
Mr Tirikatene says the FTA has met with broad approval from Māori exporters and iwi.
“Our Manuka honey exporters, our wine exporters, our horticultural produce and our kaimoana where we are major exporters, we now have tariff-free aces into that huge market where we can immediately capitalise on those available benefits,” he says.