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Community Group lockout spotlights secrecy of TPP
Media Release December 4, 2012
Community Group lockout spotlights secrecy of Trans-Pacific trade talks in Auckland
“Over 20 international representatives of health, union, consumer and environment organisations have been locked out of the Trans-Pacific talks venue in Auckland,” Dr Patricia Ranald, Convenor of the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network said today.
"Many have travelled long distances at
great expense, with no advance warning that they would be
locked out for nine of the ten days of the
negotiations.”
“This is an unprecedented increase in
the level of secrecy for these negotiations," added Dr
Ranald.. "It is bad enough that negotiating documents are
secret and not available for public discussion. But at
previous talks we have at least been allowed access to the
public areas of the venue so we could speak to negotiators
informally between sessions and arrange appointments with
them.”
“In Auckland we are only being allowed in for one day of formal presentations, and locked out for the other nine days. This is ironic for New Zealand, which has a reputation as a vibrant and open democracy.”
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