Todd McClay: Trade will boost our local economy

Trade and trade negotiation are incredibly important to our economy. While the importance of trade is often underestimated, it plays a key role in our plan to build a more competitive and productive economy.

This is vital if we want to generate the economic growth needed to create jobs, boost incomes, improve living standards, and provide the world-class public services that Rotorua families need.

Trade is also an area that is of great interest to me - before I came to Parliament I was directly involved with trade negotiations between the African, Caribbean and Pacific regions and the European Union in my role as Cook Islands ambassador to the EU. In my experience, New Zealand is one of the best trading nations with some of the most accomplished and experienced trade negotiators. Trade Minister Tim Groser is one of the world's most highly respected trade experts.

We have a strong history of high-quality free trade agreements. Since coming to government in 2008, NZ has seen the signing or implementation of FTAs with China, Hong Kong and Malaysia, and we have started negotiations with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, India, Korea and the USA through the TPP. This is essential to opening offshore markets and making NZ goods more competitive through reduced import and export tariff barriers.

Our overall advantage in a world trade sense is New Zealanders' strong belief that we can be the best at what we do. In many sectors we produce high-quality, high-value goods, some of the best in the world. This was recently showcased in Latin America when John Key led a delegation of 22 New Zealand businesses in visits to Mexico, Colombia, Chile, and Brazil. As a result, we've boosted our trade and economic links with these countries - some of the world's major emerging economies.

Ultimately this is good for Rotorua as it opens the way for local businesses to get involved in the international market. Already a number of industries in Rotorua are making leaps and bounds in offshore exporting.

Our city is home to strong locally-owned small and medium enterprises, our small tourism businesses are particularly impressive. Operators like the Agrodome, Agroventures and the Polynesian Spa are at the forefront of what we have to offer. In manufacturing, companies like Hayes Engineering, Damar and Claymark punch at their weight on a national and international scale. Supporting small and medium enterprises like these to grow, invest, employ more staff, and compete successfully in a global marketplace is an important part of the Government's economic programme.

Rotorua's education sector also has an important role to play in export earnings with providers like Waiariki Institute of Technology and Sir George Seymour College already working with students from many countries around the world. Bringing fee paying international students to Rotorua is an important part of increasing diversity in our education system and encouraging relationships with overseas education providers.

New Zealand is a small country, with a small population, at the bottom of the world. But we know our biggest challenges can also be our biggest opportunities. We excel at doing this - doing more with less, working smarter.

The Government is really excited about the opportunities Latin American countries present for New Zealand businesses. The growing middle class and spending power in these countries is translating into demand for higher-end specialised services and products, which our businesses are well placed to tap into.

New Zealand has always been a trading nation, with our productive sector providing the world with high-quality unique products.

As efficient producers with a small domestic market, our focus in trade negotiations must remain on being world leaders in a global world.