'I only see upsides' - British official upbeat about post-Brexit relationship with NZ

April 2, 2019

With days to go before another critical Brexit deadline, Ms Clarke talks about what possible outcomes could mean for New Zealand.

Despite little appetite for a no-deal Brexit from either Britain or the EU, the British High Commissioner to NZ says they are preparing on a contingency basis. And regardless of the outcome, immigration and trade with New Zealand are set to be remain stable. 

Laura Clarke told TVNZ1's Q+A last night that from a New Zealand perspective, "we have put measures in place to ensure that bilateral trade can continue as it does now". 

No-deal Brexit would entail Britain leaving the EU immediately with no agreement about how the post-divorce relationship would look.

"So some of those agreements were signed when the Prime Minister [Jacinda Ardern] was in London in January, and others are just being finalised right now," Ms Clarke said of the Britain's relationship with New Zealand. "These are agreements that make sure that we’ve got the same standards in terms of these goods that are being traded; that bilateral trade can still continue."

She said that "even though no one wants a no-deal Brexit, an enormous amount of work... is going in to preparing for that in case it happens and mitigating against it". 

Ms Clarke said she was confident they will find a way that works for the EU, that works for the UK and works in terms of economic and security co-operation.

"The government has been really clear that it doesn’t support staying in the customs union, that part of the point of Brexiting is to be able to have your own trade policy and be able to do your own free trade agreements."

She said that once Britain leaves the EU, its own national immigration policy will be established as a skills-based immigration system, which would include existing arrangements for New Zealanders to live, work, travel and study. 

"The point of Brexiting is to be able to have your own trade policy and be able to do your own free-trade agreements. That’s why when Ardern was in London both prime ministers agreed on the importance of a bilateral free-trade agreement."

"I don't see any downsides, in terms of New Zealanders, in terms of access to the UK as a result of Brexit; I only see upsides."

However, Wellington immigration lawyer Mark Williams predicts 2019 could be the year of the 'Brexodus'. He expects a surge in applications from Britain of people wanting to move to New Zealand so they can avoid the Bexit fallout. 

Q+A’s Whena Owen went to talk to Britons already living in NZ about how they view Brexit.

Watch the clip here:

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