My Government is fully aware of the responsibility which rests on
it to act quickly and decisively to ensure that the momentum for
progressive change is maintained. It has already approved some of the
Conference recommendations. Other recommendations which call for
Government action will be dealt with expeditiously. There are many
recommendations of the Conference which involve other sectors of
the economy which will be subject to the oversight of the National
Development Council which my Government will establish on the
recommendation of the Conference.

The National Development Conference has rightly
given attention to the expansion of the export earning capacity of
sectors of the economy which until recently have made only a limited
contribution to the country's reserves of overseas funds. It is
significant that despite the very substantial growth in exports
envisaged in these sectors over the target period, it is estimated that
the agricultural sector will still be responsible for over 70 percent of
the country's export earnings in 10 years' time.

My Government will continue to assist primary producers by helping them to make the best use of their land and by ensuring that the
legislation which affects this vital area of the economy is relevant to
their needs.

You have been asked to consider in recent years a number of
measures with this objective and this Session you will have before you
revisions and consolidations of the Apiaries Act and the Veterinary
Surgeons Act.

Amendments to the Orchard and Garden Diseases Act, the Animals
Act, and the Animals Remedies Act are also under consideration.

My Ministers have been vigilant in seeking to expand
marketing opportunities for agricultural products and to combat the
effects of agricultural protection where these have affected marketing
prospects.

Throughout 1968 my Ministers have sought within the framework
of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade to bring the principal
countries engaged in trade in dairy products together, with a view
to negotiating an interim agreement limiting the harmful dumping
at uneconomic prices which has characterised this trade in
recent years. Like all international commodity negotiations this is a
most difficult and complex task but my Ministers are determined to
use every avenue open to this country to achieve more orderly international marketing of dairy products and to secure their greater use
as food aid.

My Government takes great satisfaction from the remarkable
increase in exports to Australia which has taken place within the
framework of the New Zealand - Australia Free Trade Agreement. It
welcomed the opportunity of the discussions held in Wellington in
February with the Australian Minister of Trade and Industry, to
review the progress made and to make decisions to promote further
the free flow of this trade.

A vital element in the efficiency of New Zealand's export trade is
an efficient and economic shipping service. The technological
advances associated with containerisation promise significant efficiencies and my Ministers expect shortly to be in a position to make
important decisions on the basis of recommendations made to them
by the Transport Commission.