The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Winston Peters, has been encouraging exporters to find new markets.
This trip confirms Brazil is hard to get to. Flying via Chile, the trip takes a day and is not cheap. When transiting Santiago, I was stopped by the gate agent from reboarding.
“Where is your visa for Brazil”?
“Brazil is visa-free.”
“Not since April 10.”
As passengers boarded, my passport was examined by increasingly senior staff looking for my non-existent visa, until I was asked.
“Is New Zealand part of Australia?”
The New Zealand passport is so valuable.
It was also a reminder that it is our Government’s visa requirements on China and India that prevent tourism from booming and creating the growth that Christopher Luxon seeks.
Brazil is huge. We have also stayed in Sao Paulo, another enormous city of high-rise buildings, 20 million people and Auckland traffic plus motorcyclists.
The standard topic of conversation is traffic and crime. Both are spectacular. The murder rate, the only reliable crime statistic, is more than 10 times New Zealand’s. Everyone who can lives in gated communities surrounded by high fences. While out walking, I have been under surveillance from up to three cameras that it is claimed are monitored 24/7.
On the TV news, there are gang members who make the Mongrel Mob look like Boy Scouts.
Yet the Brazilians I met were friendly. The Brazilians I see on the beach are relaxed and having fun.
Brazil’s politics is also spectacular. The president has swapped jail for office. The previous President is on trial and seems headed for jail.
New Zealand’s exports are worth over $100 million annually, mostly pharmaceuticals, fruit, dairy and machinery. We import mostly animal feed and coffee. It’s not a large trade, yet Brazil is the world’s eighth-largest economy.
It’s more than distance. It is hard to sell meat to the world’s biggest beef exporter.
A big challenge is that we belong to different organisations.
Brazil is a member of the Brics, comprising 10 countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. Not known for their governance.
We belong to the OECD, which puts a great deal of emphasis on good governance.
We claim to have an independent foreign policy, but Brazil really does.
Brazil’s taxes and licences are complex even by South American standards.
There is spectacular corruption.
Despite the Integrity Institute (11) trying to convince us that this country is corrupt, we are not. In three decades in Parliament, no New Zealand company ever tried to bribe me.
Our companies do not want to do business where bribes are the norm.
Brazil’s desire to be independent shows up in other ways. There is more English spoken at airports in Asia. I nearly missed a flight because of the lack of English.
But on the other hand, I have used Uber and Airbnb. I have not yet discovered a business that does not accept American Express.
Brazil is a cashless society. I have not changed any money or seen any cash. Even the street hawkers have card machines.
It makes it tough for the beggars when no one has cash. Maybe the lack of cash is a reaction to crime.
There are aspects of Brazil that did impress. My moko [grandson] got rolled by the waves and scraped his head. So common that the Brazilians have a word for it, “caixote”.
We visited a hospital A&E. There was a special section for children. Very competent nurses and doctors. No waiting time. We never even sat in the waiting room. A level of service inconceivable in New Zealand. He has just had a shock and is okay.
Brazilians told me they are now too scared to visit the US. They told me Brazilian parents worry about their children’s safety at university in Trump’s America.
Promoting tertiary education in safe New Zealand is an opportunity.
Auckland University, in my opinion, has chosen just the wrong time to go woke with its compulsory pseudo-academic course on the Treaty.
Luxon is correct that a free trade deal with India should be our priority. Brazil as an export destination will always be challenging.
As a country to visit? I would visit Brazil again.
