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Follow-Up: Leak Confirms Fears About Pharmac

“The leaked text appears to confirm that the TPPA could become a vehicle for multinational pharmaceutical companies to slow down access to new drugs and increase their prices,” Green Party trade spokesperson Russel Norman said.

“The leaked IP chapter reads like a list of things that drug companies could be able to do to protect their profits at the expense of people’s health, including creating new, longer, and stronger patent and regulatory systems for pharmaceutical monopolies...

“Another thing the leak highlights is that New Zealand appears to be opposed to protections for traditional indigenous knowledge, intellectual property, and resource rights, with possibly significant implications for Treaty of Waitangi claims. More>>

ALSO:

• Knowledge Ecology International - Knowledge Ecology Leaks TPP Text on Intellectual Property
• OpenMedia - New TPP leak on Canada
• Out-Link - New TPP Leaked Text Reveals Countries' Weakening Resistance to Copyright Maximalist Proposals | Electronic Frontier Foundation
• NZ Govt - Guy: Speech to Pipfruit NZ Annual Conference
• Keith Rankin - Trans-Pacific Partnership or Jousting Contest?
• Auckland Chamber of Commerce - Silver linings from TPPA talks
• Public Health Association - Stalled TPP a chance to take stock
• TV3 Video - Groser: TPPA will ease dairy wobbles

NZ Legal Challenges:

• Professor Jane Kelsey - Legal challenge to TPPA secrecy lodged today
• Oxfam - Court action to challenge secret trade negotiations
• Hone Harawira - No Urgency, But No Text Either
• Te Ringahuia Hata - Tribunal Criticises Crown’s Treatment of Treaty Partner
• Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Inc - TPP: Protect our Rights, Protect our Taonga, Health & Future

TPP Ministerial In Hawaii Fails: Tim Groser Disappointed

Trade Minister Tim Groser is disappointed that the TPP negotiations were unable to reach a conclusion today, but TPP ministers collectively pledged to meet again as soon as possible to finalise the deal. "Good progress was made this week, but a number of challenging issues remain, including intellectual property and market access for dairy products", Mr Groser said. More >>

Professor Jane Kelsey Responds: "Time for NZ Govt. to cut losses" - ‘The “final” ministerial meeting on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) in Maui has failed. Not opting to stay another day shows the gridlock is serious and potentially intractable’, according to University of Auckland law professor Jane Kelsey. ‘Everyone is blaming each other in Maui’, Kelsey said. ‘But the underlying reason for the gridlock is the domestic opposition in almost all the TPPA countries.’ More >>

Gordon Campbell: On Why We Should Still Oppose Investor-State Dispute Measures - Even in this dark hour for the TPP, the secrecy farce continues. On RNZ this morning, Trade Minister Tim Groser said he looks forward to the day when he can take the covers off, and show New Zealand what a good deal we’ve won.

Oh, good grief. What is left to hide? Every single negotiator went into those talks in Maui knowing exactly where everyone else stood... Inside the negotiation tent, the TPP isn’t wearing any pants. It never has been. The whole exercise of secrecy has been about hiding the content from public opinion, not about negotiating the text. More>>

REACTION:

• Megan Gattey - Post-cabinet: TPP, Family Violence and Solid Energy
• Scoop Business - TPP can’t wait for Canada’s October election, says Key - No TPP deal in Maui, but Groser ‘extremely confident’
• TVNZ - Q+A: Tim Groser on the TPP
• Labour Party - Stalled TPP chance for wider discussion
• Greens - Groser’s emotions should not define NZ’s TPPA stance - Time for the Govt to come clean on flailing TPP
• NZ First - Can the TPPA Be Rebooted? - TPPA a botch-up from the start - The New Kiwi Deal
• Jordan McCluskey - The Beginning and the End of the TPPA
• Jan Rivers - TPPA progress harder from now on - Jan Rivers
• AFTINET - Minister should resist tradeoffs - Failed Trans-Pacific (TPP) talks show folly of trading - Australia should reject demand to rewrite Australian laws
• Lori Wallach - Yet Another ‘Final’ TPP Ministerial and Again No Deal
• Democrats for Social Credit - Chance For Government To Garner Support For TPPA
• Grey Power NZ - Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement
• TPPA Auckland Call to Action Group - Concerned Citizens Chained to Museum in TPPA Protest
• DCANZ - Groser proves trade credentials by insisting on a good deal
• TV3 Video - John Key confident TPPA will happen - Groser stands firm on TPP promises - No deal struck in TPP talks
• Association of Salaried Medical Specialists - Secrecy of TPPA documents heads to court

Gordon Campbell: On Tim Groser Missing In Action On The TPP

While rapid change is always possible in trade talks as they approach the deadline, lets assume that the offers on the table for dairy at the TPP talks in Maui won’t improve much beyond the “appallingly bad” level currently being lamented by New Zealand dairy industry participants. What is Plan B now for New Zealand? As tactical partners to date, New Zealand and Australia have found some common ground in stalling on the patent terms for medicines, particularly in the expensive, cutting edge realm of “biologics” treatments.

New Zealand has been stalling on the medicines and IP provisions in general, to try and prise that better deal on dairy from Japan, the US and Canada – while Australia has taken the same obstructive line in order to leverage better access for its sugar exports to the US domestic market. Dream on. More>>

ALSO:

• Association of Salaried Medical Specialists - Secrecy of TPPA documents heads to court
• Labour - Will poor TPP dairy outcome stop National selling our homes?
• Federated Farmers - A Free Trade Deal must include Free Trade
• Doctors for Healthy Trade - Affordable medicines at risk in trade deal
• Pharmacy Guild - Guild interested to learn more about TPPA details

Half Empty: Gordon Campbell On D-Day For Dairy At The TPP

While New Zealand may feel flattered at being called “the Saudi Arabia of milk” it would be more accurate to regard us as the suicide bombers of free trade... More>>

• Out-Link - Radio New Zealand : TPPA

Leaked Letter: Severe Restrictions on State Owned Enterprises
Even an SOE that exists to fulfil a public function neglected by the market or which is a natural monopoly would nevertheless be forced to act "on the basis of commercial considerations" and would be prohibited from discriminating in favour of local businesses in purchases and sales. Foreign companies would be given standing to sue SOEs in domestic courts for perceived departures from the strictures of the TPP... More>>

• Professor Jane Kelsey - TPPA leak reveals sweeping restrictions agreed on SOEs - TPPA leak: more worries for Labour

In Parliament: The Māori Party Stands Firmly Opposed To The TPPA
Mounting concerns about the impact of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement on tangata whenua are shared by the Māori Party Co-leaders Marama Fox and Te Ururoa Flavell, as final negotiations continue in Hawaii. More>>

• Parliament Today - Questions and Answers - July 30 - Questions and Answers – July 29
• Parliament Today - Parliament Today 30-07-15 - TPP Negotiations Criticised by Opposition
• Labour - Real cost of Pharmac betrayal revealed
• NZ First - No Excuses, Bring Unsigned TPPA Home for Scrutiny
• Multiple Sclerosis Society - TPPA implications for PHARMAC raise serious concerns
• Hone Harawira - Hone Harawira's Open Letter to Barack Obama
• Out-Link - Open source leader 'livid' at TPPA software patent capitulation | ZDNet

Gordon Campbell: On The PM’s Concessions About Medicines And The TPP

So, on the eve of the last round of talks meant to finalise the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal, Prime Minister John Key has conceded that yes New Zealand will probably have to pay more for medicines under the TPP.

This is exactly what TPP critics have been warning for nearly four years, while being fobbed off as alarmists for doing so. Key’s belated concession contradicts assurances given only last October by Trade Minister Tim Groser... More>>

ALSO:

• Out-Link - Key admits medicines will cost more under TPP | Radio NZ
• Labour - Dismantling Pharmac’s power a betrayal of NZ
• Greens - Cost increase, under TPPA, must come from new funding - Sick New Zealanders will pay under John Key’s TPPA
• NZ First - New Zealand First Shut Out of Debate on TPPA
• Earlier - Labour's conditions on TPP support
• NZMA - NZMA calls again for independent health assessment of TPPA
• Royal Australasian College of Physicians - RACP calls for greater transparency ahead of talks
• Doctors for the Protection of Health in Trade Agreements - Issue of ballooning future medicine costs
• ASMS - Government admits the TPPA will push up medicine costs
• Dairy Companies Association of NZ - Better Dairy Deal Essential
• NZ Taxpayers' Union - Key's Comments on TPP Medicine Costs Disturbing
• TV3 Video - TPPA withdrawal would come at a cost - Groser - Key: TPP benefits outweigh cons - Medicines likely to cost more under TPPA - Key
• NZ Govt - Meeting with US Secretary of State
• US Department Of State - John Kerry Remarks with NZ Foreign Minister Murray McCully
• TV3 Video - McCully thanks Kerry after achieving Iran agreement - Russia expected to veto MH17 tribunal
• Jeremy Wilkinson and Megan Gattey - Post-Cab Presser: Foreign buyers register, TPP and Serco
• The Nation - Patrick Gower interviews Trade Minister Tim Groser
• NZ First - TPPA More Important than Public Concern
• Oxfam - Secret trade negotiations undermining NZ’s democracy
• Democrats for Social Credit - Dunne Supports Corporations Suing NZ Taxpayers
• Five Nations Beef Alliance - TPP must deliver, say beef producers
• Don Franks - Labour's TPP conditions

Treaty Claim:

• Te Ringahuia Hata - Our Sovereignty is Not for Sale
• NZ Council of Trade Unions - Urgent TPPA hearing critical to honouring Treaty
• Hone Harawira - TPPA a low trust model

Post-Cab Press Conference: Foreign Buyers Register, TPP And Serco

At a press conference today in Wellington, John Key discussed the foreign buyers register as well as the TPP and Serco. Key was questioned on whether a stamp tax might be used as a tool to deal with foreign buyers. More>>

Trade: Labour Gives Conditional Support For TPP

The Labour Party is giving conditional support for the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership, with party leader Andrew Little saying Labour is "pro-free trade" but will only support TPP if it contains "key protections" for New Zealanders. More>>

ALSO:

• Labour - Labour will not support TPP if it undermines NZ sovereignty
• NZ First - TPPA More Important than Public Concern
• Public Good - The 'Free Trade' horse is already bolting
• Out-Link - The Pencilsword: Who's afraid of the TPPA? - The Wireless

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