Fair suck of the bevvy | Auckland News | Local News in Auckland

Do Auckland latte-drinkers want to help the Third World? Campaigners tell Hayley Hannan why we should be a Fairtrade city.

James Harris sits cross-legged on a leather couch and nurses a warm coffee. He doesn't know exactly where the beans came from, but he does believe the coffee producer will get a fair price.

James is one of a group of Aucklanders united in the aim of making Auckland the third New Zealand Fairtrade city. He says this would bring many benefits.

"A lot of the benefits don't necessarily come to us but they come to the Third World producer. I think fair trade products are higher quality."

Fairtrade's Julia Campbell agrees. She says Fairtrade producers have a higher chance of getting a fair price for their goods, and ensure higher premium prices that can translate into funding for rainforest conservation and roads or buildings. Products can include coffee, tea, bananas, cotton and other Trade Aid products.

The process for making Auckland a certified city is to complete a steering group, gather 100 organisations which meet the requirements, and get the approval and participation of the new Auckland Council. So far, 52 organisations have agreed to use and promote Fairtrade tea and coffee.

The steering group consists of representatives from All Good, Avalanche coffee, Oxfam, Zeal,  Edmund Rice Justice Aotearoa, Trade Aid, Good magazine, Green MPs and Labour list MP Jacinda Arden.

Zeal youth worker James is getting the word out through his network in West Auckland. He thinks  that with young people  becoming more environmentally conscious and involved, the Fairtrade campaign appeals to many: "I think it's empowering for young people to have a say about the world we live in."

The campaign is still in its infancy. "A lot of it's at the ideas stage." Promotion ideas and tactics are still being formulated.

James says it will  give many young people  in his area a global focus.

"It gives a chance to raise awareness and bring action to a particularly critical issue."

Fair ground attraction

Australians and New Zealanders have increased purchases of Fairtrade products more than 50 per cent over the past year. This is good news for the 827 Fairtrade producers in 60 countries. Wellington and Dunedin are Fairtrade cities already.