Madame du Barry intervened

New Zealand’s pending free trade agreement with the EU presents the country with an opportunity to supply France’s Pacific possessions.

France has always insisted in supplying these foreign territories direct from France. The result has been that New Zealand exporters have enjoyed a fraction of the true value from this potential market.

In 2014 for example New Zealand exporters garnered $180 million from a market potentially worth much more. Total imports from these possessions that same year of $4 million, mainly scrap and decoratives, give an indication of a most favourable balance to be built upon.

This was certainly discussed during the one day visit in May by French prime minister Manuel Valls earlier this year.

In the event however the presence in Wellington of the operational head of the world’s sixth largest economy was overshadowed.

Mr Valls’ presence was eclipsed by the transition from private sector broadcasting to the government-owned version of news-reader Miss Hilary Barry.

The result was that communiques from this immensely important visit were allowed to focus on the well-trodden paths of the candidacy of former New Zealand premier Helen Clark for the top job at United Nations, and the Rainbow Warrior Affair.

Residents of France’s Oceania possessions because of their French citizenship participate in elections to the European Parliament. In trade terms these citizens are thus also citizens of the EU.

This is the reason why these French possessions are seen as being of economic value in the event of an EU trade agreement.