Winston manufactures an issue!

Watching TV News, Wednesday evening, Adam saw a report in which our ‘Foreign Minister’ stated his opposition to the NZ China FTA, which he had previously supported, on the grounds that China was a low wage economy.

Now China was a low wage economy last week, yesterday, today and will be so tomorrow. NZ is a low wage economy compared to some other countries also. Does Winston want those countries with which we trade to not conclude agreements with us?

This has all the marks of WP seeking to place space between his coalition partner and perhaps finding an issue to break ranks with Labour on, or to enable him to form a coalition with someone else down the track.

This is yet another example of the absurdity of having our ‘Foreign Minister’ outside cabinet and notionally of, but not of, the Government. This absurdity is compounded by the fact that Helen Clark as PM, Phil Goff as Trade will go to China to sign and not Winston. Perhaps he is sulking over the loss of Airpoints?

Maybe he is not happy that Tim Groser from National is going as well?