PM gives Sutton special trade job

Jim Sutton

Prime Minister Helen Clark yesterday delivered outgoing Trade Negotiations Minister Jim Sutton a last-minute Christmas present, appointing him Minister of State with special responsibility for the Doha trade talks.

Speaking exclusively to the Herald before her departure on her annual holiday overseas, Helen Clark said she had asked Mr Sutton to stay on in a new role to keep pushing New Zealand's case in the world trade talks.

"I'm very happy he has agreed," she said.

Mr Sutton said that having the ministerial title would enable him to take a seat on New Zealand's behalf within the World Trade Organisation's inner circle when key trade ministers begin a series of meetings early next year.

The talks are at a crucial point, with pressure building to get an agreement on market access for agriculture and industrial goods by April 30.

"There's likely to be a fairly heavy load of trade work and I'll be able to get around quite a bit," he said.

The new role is understood to be outside the Cabinet.

"My wish was to carry on as Trade Negotiations Minister and do that full-time until the Doha Round was complete. But that was not available."

Mr Sutton said he would also lead a number of trade missions on New Zealand's behalf.

"I feel quite good about the job and I'll be able to carry on some of the other stuff when I go from Parliament."

Mr Sutton, who surrenders the Trade Negotiations portfolio to Phil Goff on December 31, had not hidden his hurt at being dumped from the Cabinet after losing his electorate seat in the September 17 election.

The Prime Minister's decision shocked the primary sector, which had seen first-hand the extensive trade work Mr Sutton had undertaken in six years in the job.

Mr Sutton refused the Prime Minister's earlier offer of a key diplomatic post as a sweetener, preferring to stay in Wellington so he could support the career of his partner, Trish Ranstead.

Yesterday, Helen Clark admitted Mr Goff would have faced an impossible task trying to match the pace Mr Sutton had set representing New Zealand in international trade talks as well as maintaining his other Cabinet portfolios in Wellington and servicing his Auckland electorate.

"Jim was away something like 150 days last year and went to Geneva three times in three weeks between the election and the Hong Kong talks," she said.

"We will need someone camped out in Geneva again."

It is understood the private sector has been lobbying for Mr Sutton to be retained until the WTO has completed its Doha development agenda blueprint.

Helen Clark said the role was likely to continue until at least April.

Mr Sutton, who also becomes Associate Trade Negotiations Minister, and Mr Goff will go to Davos in Switzerland next month for the World Economic Forum, where a WTO mini ministerial meeting will be held.

The Prime Minister plans to appoint Annette King as Associate Trade Negotiations Minister when Mr Sutton stands down. Ms King is an Associate Trade Minister.