I think the author is drawing a long bow suggesting that the opposition to the import of NZ apples "is a worrying signal that protectionism is resurgent in the Liberal and National parties." But now that the deed is done done it is highly unlikely that we will need to worry about imported disease affecting our crops. NZ's trees twice as productive as Australia's and the labour rates are lower. The cost of transportation between NZ and Sydney is about the same as that between our eastern capitals. This means NZ apples should be about half the cost of the Australian equivalent. (oh, and don't for a moment think that retailers will be passing on the difference to the consumer).

Personally I have always suspected that the justifications for unlimited so called "free" trade have always been very suspect.

Therefore why not Google:

1. The Case against Free Trade published by Earth Island Press
2. The Case Against the Global Economy & For a Turn Towards
Localization by Goldsmith & Mander

Andrew,

I would then expect you to push for relaxing the quarantine rules for bananas etc, cherries etc. The same logic applies.

This is yet another long bow drawn by Andrew trying to extrapolate concern expressed for local producers of apples into trade protectionism.

Who introduced the latest Free trade agreement, and who opposed it vigorously?

"If we are to continue to raise living standards, we need to keep engaging in economic reforms like pricing carbon ...."

Perhaps the author could explain how the Australian economy would benefit (or to use his words, how living standards would be raised) by implementing the carbon tax, that is designed to drive the replacement of efficient coal-fired power with inefficient wind power that is at least twice as costly and with inefficient solar power that is at least ten times as costly.

He should then explain how this would qualify as "economic reform" when it would raise electricity prices substantially, thus impacting adversely on productivity , and when it would keep reducing Australia's comparative advantage.

Given his research capabilities, perhaps he could list published papers that have reported compelling scientific evidence that proves that anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions have caused measurable global warming.

Given that there appears to be no prospect that any international agreement would follow Kyoto, perhaps he could explain the extent (or rather the lack) of international pressure on Australia to implement a carbon tax.

Agree whole heartedly with the writer. The NZ 'apple blight' story reached heights over the last three months with rallies of Adelaide Hills apple growers shaking their fists at the camera and saying the local industry will be rooned if Kiwi apples are sold here.

It's rubbish of course. The locals just don't want competition from NZ. They can't spell WTO and are throwbacks to the bleeting time of the Nationals and the superphosphate bounty.

Of course in Adelaide it doesn't take much to get the locals upset. A loss at the football, the city being called 'pissant', the fact the airport closes at 11.00 pm and a schizophrenic news papers called The Advertiser (sans news) which makes the Illawarra Mercury look like the New York Times.

Unh, I'm afraid you got it wrong. The Coalition withdrew support for a bill which would have challenged the WTO decision on apples three days ago. Nice try, but you can't hang the this one on Abbott.