Big crowd attends TPPA meeting in Whangarei

A crowd of about 90 people turned out to a public meeting in Whangarei on Sunday afternoon to hear about what effects the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement could have on New Zealanders.

The meeting was addressed by Deputy Leader of the Democrats for Social Credit, and its Whangarei Candidate, Chris Leitch who said “The TPPA will have the most far reaching effects on New Zealand’s future of almost any agreement or piece of legislation yet seen, yet there will be no select committee process, no public consultation, no submissions, and no debate in parliament.

It will affect our ability to regulate to protect our environment, to restrict the use of hazardous substances, control currency movements, or shift the focus of investment away from speculation and into growing our productive economy.

The Investor State Disputes Settlement process contained in the TPPA will give foreign companies special rights to sue taxpayers, rights that are not available to domestic companies. Even the threat of legal action can be enough to stop the introduction of legislation.

Mr Leitch quoted Professor Jeffrey Sachs, professor of Sustainable Development at Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs who was named one of Time Magazine's "100 Most Influential People in the World" in 2004 and 2005, and was awarded the Blue Planet Prize in 2015 for his contributions to solving global environmental problems.

Professor Sachs has denounced the TPPA, claiming it is not a trade agreement at all. "These proposed agreements are mostly investor protection agreements...investor protection of property rights of investors, of prerogatives of investors, of intellectual property of investors, of the regulatory environment of investors”.

While the government might sign the TPPA in Auckland on February 4th, there is still a long way to go before it comes into force, with certification, and implementing legislation which could take up to two years.

The government should man up, stop its assault on democracy and undertake consultation with New Zealanders to seek majority public approval”, Mr Leitch said.
ENDS

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