Otago continued to export most of its produce to the United Kingdom until the 1970s. This began to change when the United Kingdom joined the European Community in 1973 and abrogated its preferential trade agreements with New Zealand. This, along with several international oil shocks and a reactionary government, led to severe economic disruption and hardship in Otago. The (centre-left) Labour government counter-intuitively opted for open market (neo-liberal) reforms to make New Zealand more competitive in the international market place. This led to a shift away from the primary sector. Woollen mills at Kaikorai Valley, Milton and Mosgiel closed in 1957, 1999 and 2000 respectively.