Treaty of Waitangi bottom line not satisfied in TPPA – union

The President of a leading trade union opponent of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) is warning New Zealanders that we cannot be sure whether the deal enforces protection for the Treaty of Waitangi until we’ve seen the full text.

“The government has signalled that the agreement will contain a Treaty clause, but we won’t know how the clause will work until the full text is released and a close legal analysis is undertaken,” says FIRST Union President Syd Keepa.

“How can we trust the government’s word after it failed to properly consult with te iwi Maori? At no point did the government seek independent legal advice on the Treaty implications of the deal.”

“Upholding the Treaty of Waitangi is one of Labour’s bottom lines for the TPPA. I’m calling on Labour’s Maori caucus to conduct a comprehensive analysis of whether this bottom line is satisfied once the text is finally released.”

“This was not done by FOMA who supported the TPPA even before it had seen the text,” says Keepa.

“As well as looking at the Treaty clause we also need to look at the cumulative effect of the deal to determine how Maori interests will be protected. Take the investment chapter that prohibits tighter regulation of foreign investment in the housing market to bring down the cost of housing, locking the door on Maori already shut out of the housing market.”

ENDS

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