10 metre long TPPA petition delivered to Parliament today

Thursday, 14 April 2016, 1:41 pm
Press Release: ActionStation

10 metre long petition representing 72,000 opposed to TPPA delivered
to Parliament today - ActionStation

A 10 metre long petition that has been signed by more than 72,000 New Zealanders opposed to the ratification of the TPPA was delivered to Parliament today, as the final rounds of public submissions to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee take place. The petition was delivered by community organisation, ActionStation.

“I do not appear before you today as an expert on international trade, Investor State Dispute Settlement clauses, or on the impact this agreement could have on this and future government’s ability to govern in the best interest of the people of New Zealand…I appear before you today as a representative of a large and growing community of hard-working New Zealanders who have made time in their busy lives to engage with discussion and debate on the TPPA, learn as much as they could - despite the lack of transparency - and then get involved in the processes of democracy to express their views and concerns.”, said Marianne Elliott, National Director of ActionStation as she delivered her presentation today.

The group has been campaigning on TPPA since November 2014. First to call for greater transparency and accountability in the TPPA negotiations. And then to oppose the agreement once the text became available to the public in November last year.

MPs have been given just five days to consider thousands of submissions on the controversial TPPA trade deal after the timeframe was drastically cut from four weeks.

“Time and again throughout this process the Government, including the Prime Minister, have dismissed New Zealanders who are concerned about TPPA, insulting their intelligence and questioning their motives. They have been called ‘children’, ‘anti-trade’ and ‘rent-a-crowd’. Today we wanted to give voice to these people, many of whom are our members, and say: The tens of thousands of New Zealanders who have taken part in our campaign opposing the TPPA are real people, thoughtful, well-informed, hard-working people who love this country and who believe we can do better for New Zealand than this deal.

Our members’ concerns about this agreement have not been allayed through the democratic process on offer so far. Shortening the time period available to this Committee to consider submission on this matter has only further eroded public confidence in the process. Our members want an independent impact analysis of the health, environmental and other impacts of this deal and for the ratification of the agreement to go to Parliament for a conscience vote.”

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