Seymour Defends Government Efforts To Lure New Supermarket Chain To NZ

Craig
McCulloch

Acting
Prime Minister David Seymour has defended the government’s
efforts to lure a new supermarket chain to New Zealand,
saying just because it has not worked yet, does not mean it
never will.

Seymour made the comments at a Beehive
media conference on Monday which he called to highlight
fresh guidance being issued to international
investors.

“It will now be clear for all to see that
we are rolling out the red carpet,” he said. “This country
is open for business, supermarket competition
especially.”

It is the latest attempt by the
government this term to bring down food prices by increasing
competition in the current grocery duopoly, but previous
efforts have yet to bear fruit.

The coalition last
year rushed in a new fast-track approval process for
supermarkets. But some seven months on, no applications have
been lodged.

Seymour said there had been some
“expressions of interest”, but they had not proceed further
for “various reasons” – including complicated labelling
conditions.

But he said that was no reason to give up,
noting the government was doing everything it could, “short
of putting a big sign at Cape Reinga”.

Seymour said he
remained resolute that overseas investors would eventually
see New Zealand as an attractive place to do business if the
government continued to remove barriers.

“Just because
it hasn’t worked yet doesn’t mean it’s not a good idea,” he
said. “It may be that we’ve managed to lead a horse to
water, but not made them drink just yet.

“We know if
we try, we may fail. But we’re certain that if we don’t try,
we’ll definitely fail.”

Despite the government’s
request for feedback from international grocery chains last
year, big players such as Tesco, Lidl and Aldi declined to
participate.

Seymour said, regardless, he remained
hopeful.

“Sometimes businesses change management.
Sometimes economic circumstances change. Sometimes they may
just be waiting for political stability. Perhaps they’re
watching closely the New Zealand election.

“It’s going
to take determination. It’s going to take on-going
grit.”

Responding to Seymour’s media conference,
Labour leader Chris Hipkins said the coalition had talked a
tough game on supermarket competition, but had failed to
deliver on its “unrealistic” promise to reduce grocery
prices.

“What they’re doing isn’t working,” he said.
“They have no new ideas.”

Hipkins said Labour would
set out its policy on supermarket competition in the next
few months, but indicated a focus on wholesale supply
chains.

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