NZ MADE: Rosemary Carr, right, chief executive of Kilmarnock Enterprises, and Mary-Anne Fabling make poppies for Anzac Day this year.

Kiwis are threatening to boycott Anzac Day poppy sales after the RSA decided to move its contract to make the remembrance symbols offshore.

The Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association said yesterday that Australian company Cash's had won the tender to make the poppies from 2012. The parts for 1.2 million poppies a year will be made in China and then assembled by workers across the ditch.

The move has outraged Christchurch RSA, which has held the contract since 1931, first employing war veterans and later people with disabilities.

The RSA employs about 20 workers at Kilmarnock Enterprises, which provides training and work for people with intellectual disabilites. War widows also helped out during peak production, President Russ Barron said.

There were likely to be job losses at Kilmarnock Enterprises and Christchurch RSA.

Mr Barron said the national body's decision was disgusting. "The New Zealand poppy is an icon, manufactured in New Zealand for New Zealanders."

His views have been widely endorsed by Stuff readers today with the overwhelming majority of comments expressing disbelief at the "money orientated decision".

RSA chief executive Stephen Clarke has said the decision to move production overseas was "not easy" and he expected opposition. However, cheaper costs meant more money for RSA services.

But Stuff reader Phil Beechey said the move was detrimental to the spirit and meaning of ANZAC Day. "[I] would suggest that New Zealander's as a whole refrain from buying the poppies in 2012 and send donations directly to the RSA."

Another posted: "I buy a poppy every year. It supports both the veterans and the Kilmarnock workers who clearly enjoy contributing to society. I won't be buying one that's made in China. Whoever made this decision has clearly forgotten that money isn't everything."

Mr Clark was not available for comment this afternoon but said earlier that the decision would mean $150,000 more was available for welfare programmes for veterans.

"People have to look at the bigger picture."

But many respondents said they would be happy to pay more to keep the poppies' production in New Zealand.

"If he really needs to raise that extra $150,000 why doesn't he simply charge $2 instead of a gold coin donation?"

"I am confident that Kiwi's would sooner pay $2 and have them made locally by veterans widow's and the handicapped, If these poppies are made in China I will not be buying for myself and daughter this year."

LONG HISTORY IN NEW ZEALAND

The Christchurch RSA has made the poppies since 1931, when it took over from the Auckland branch.

"We've had a history of manufacturing a New Zealand product for New Zealanders," Barron said.

"It's rather upsetting that the New Zealand RSA have, through a tender process, gone to an Australian company using Chinese componentry.

"I believe the New Zealand public will not support the Australian, or Chinese poppy, as I call it.

"Grandfathers, fathers and sons who have died in the service of their country need something better and something that's from home.

"We can't compete on straight economics because we have to pay New Zealand wages, when the Chinese can pay whatever they want. From that point of view, we are not going to be in the same league."

Barron said he feared for the Kilmarnock Enterprises employees, who made about 1.3 million poppies each year.

"What's going to happen to these people? We also use our widows and we pay them and they are contracted to us," he said.

"Now our widows are being targeted through this Chinese poppy."

Vice-president Pete Dawson said some veterans had expressed disgust at the decision. "It's abhorrent. I've spoken to one or two vets today and they are shocked," he said.

The contract period will begin on May 1, and the Chinese poppies will be used for the first time in 2012.

Kilmarnock Enterprises chief executive Rosemary Carr said last night that the poppies provided job satisfaction and pride for up to 30 staff.

It made as much as $134,000 annually by producing the poppies, which represented up to 25 per cent of its total work.

She said she would break the news to employees today.

"It doesn't augur well for New Zealand. I think keeping money in New Zealand is so important, and something like that especially," Carr said.

The poppy appeal raised $2 million nationally this year.

"It's the same poppy and still involves the same investment in terms of remembrance of Anzac Day."

- with Kate Newton, The Dominion Post

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