Green stand firm over Kiwi Made

A public outcry and threats from New Zealand First have forced the Greens to speak out against plans to water down the Buy Kiwi Made programme.

Green MP Sue Bradford, who also is the Government's spokeswoman for Buy Kiwi Made, yesterday said her party would not allow the campaign to be widened to include goods made overseas by New Zealand companies.

"Ultimately we cannot accept that Buy Kiwi Made is diluted to the point that it no longer means what it says," Ms Bradford said.

Buy Kiwi Made has been allocated funding of $11.5 million over the next three years, but it is already the subject of disagreement between Labour and the Greens before it has started.

At issue is whether companies such as well-known outdoor clothing maker Icebreaker should be included.

Icebreaker is a Wellington-based company that used to manufacture solely in New Zealand, but now gets work done overseas.

Prime Minister Helen Clark earlier this week said she thought there was a case for Icebreaker to be promoted in such a way because its raw materials came from New Zealand, as well as its ideas, design and marketing.

She said the issue was more complex than many people believed.

But the Greens and New Zealand First feel differently. After Ms Bradford appeared to be wavering on the issue publicly this week, New Zealand First stepped in and said it would take over the campaign if the Greens were unable to decide what was made in New Zealand.

New Zealand First deputy leader Peter Brown said goods must be made in New Zealand to qualify for the scheme, and noted that Buy Kiwi Made was part of his party's post-election confidence and supply agreement with Labour.

Changing the programme would breach that agreement, he said, although he didn't expect such a scenario to "be the end" of the deal.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters would discuss the matter with the Prime Minister, he said.

Ms Bradford yesterday conceded that there had been some confusion about her position, but said her stance had firmed following support from manufacturers, unions and "ordinary Kiwis" around the country.

New Zealand First's strong statements were "the icing on the cake".

The Greens negotiated Buy Kiwi Made as part of their co-operation agreement with Labour after the last election, and the campaign was a passion of the late MP Rod Donald.

Ms Bradford said she was still negotiating with Labour over what the programme would look like.

"We haven't just told the Government to get knotted and walked away, or said we're going to break the agreement," she said.

"We would rather achieve the programme than walk away. That's why the doors are open and we're still talking to each other."

A spokesman for the Prime Minister played down any talk of problems in Labour's relationship with the other parties.

He said discussions were still continuing about the shape of the Buy Kiwi Made campaign, and Economic Development Minister Trevor Mallard was waiting for a final proposal to come from Ms Bradford and the officials with whom she was working.