National leader Simon Bridges says the New Zealand voter wants clarity and decisiveness. Photo / Paul Taylor
National leader Simon Bridges says the New Zealand voter wants clarity and decisiveness. Photo / Paul Taylor
The resounding British Conservative victory has some lessons for New Zealand, despite the Brexit factor being absent here, according to National Opposition leader Simon Bridges.
But he promised not to "play politics" on New Zealand's pursuit of a free trade agreement - which Trade Minister David Parker tells the Heraldcould be started in the coming year.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has secured a majority of 80 seats. That will get his previously stalled withdrawal agreement with the European Union passed by January 31, and then the UK will set about negotiating a trade deal with the EU by December 31, 2020.
"But here I think people definitely want that same clearness on the economy and its direction, infrastructure and services and I don't think they are seeing that."
He also thought there was a pattern of blue collar workers heading to centre-right parties which had been evident not only in Britain last week but in the United States and Australia.
He believed that was also happening in New Zealand.
"Our respect for workers, the self-employed and those struggling with rising costs of living gives us a very strong platform to eat into Labour's strongholds at the next election."
National leader Simon Bridges says the New Zealand voter wants clarity and decisiveness. Photo / Paul Taylor
"Labour's feedback loop seems stuck in Grey Lynn and Wadestown sometimes," Bridges said.
"Hard working Kiwis want the same things that Brits voted for en masse in northern England and Wales and that's pro-work policies, controlled costs, that are strong on the economy and infrastructure."
Boris Johnson had been resolutely clear and strong on things like welfare and law and order "and you see that from us".
Bridges said Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Trade Minister David Parker should be among the first to visit their counterparts after Johnson forms his new Government to ensure New Zealand was at the front of the queue for a free trade deal.
"There'll be no politics from us in National because this is in every New Zealander's interests. The only criticism will be if they are not pursuing it pro-actively enough."
Parker has already met Johnson's trade secretary, Liz Truss, and she visited New Zealand in September, although it is not yet confirmed she will continue in the role.
Trade Minister David Parker hopes to have trade talks with Britain launched this year. Photo / Mark Mitchell
The exit of Britain on January 31 with a withdrawal agreement means that the current non-tariff trading arrangement between the UK and the EU will remain in place while they negotiate a trade deal between them.
It also means that the same arrangements New Zealand currently has with the EU and UK will remain in place for the time being.
New Zealand is in the midst of negations for a free trade agreement with the European Union. The sixth round of talks took place in Wellington last week.
"That's already under way and it's likely we will continue to advance that," Parker said today.
"But it is likely that negotiations with the United Kingdom will commence in the coming year as well."
Asked if he expected the EU deal to be finished before any UK deal because of the head start it had had, Parker said "Yes, we would".
He said negotiations with the EU were going well with several chapters almost finished, although as with most negotiations, the difficult subjects would be left to the end.
They included geographic indicators for Europe – protections for certain products derived from a region - and market access for some New Zealand products.
The 27 EU Commissioners – essentially the EU ministers - were changed in November, and the former Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan became Trade Commissioner.
Parker has met his several times before and is due to meet him again in January at Davos.
UK Trade Secretary Liz Truss was in New Zealand for trade talks in September. Photo / Twitter
