Phil
Goff
MP for Mt Roskill

28 January 2016

Differing view on TPPA agreed

Opposition Leader Andrew Little has given dispensation to MP Phil Goff to take his own position on the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement due to his historic involvement in negotiating its predecessor, the P4.

“Phil has had a longstanding involvement and public commitment to this agreement which differs with the Labour Caucus’ decision that it cannot support the deal in its current form due to its compromise of New Zealand’s sovereignty.

“When the Caucus met recently to finalise its position on the TPP I met with Phil and decided that his longstanding public position was such that he would be allowed to hold a differing view.

“This was discussed by the Caucus as a whole and Phil has made his position known,” says Andrew Little.

Phil Goff said he appreciated his leader’s dispensation in this case.

“I respect Andrew’s and Labour’s views on the issue and their agreement to acknowledge that I came from a different perspective. My position is well known and there is no need for me to elaborate further on it,” Phil Goff says.

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