Stop-TPP Movement renews call for Binding Referendum

TPP-Free-Wellington will mark the Select Committee’s reporting day with a “Binding Referendum Rally” at Parliament.

The 4th of May is the expected “tabling” of the Select Committee’s Report on TPP in Parliament.

The nation-wide “It’s Our Future” movement (which includes the local Wellington group) told the Select Committee that, “any decision to proceed with the ratification process must include a binding referendum”.

Barry Coates, one of the movement’s leaders, emphasizes, “There is concern over the TPP from a majority of the public across New Zealand, according to public opinion polls (TV3/Reid Research, November 2015).”

TPP-Free-Wellington calls for supporters to rally this Wednesday 4 May, at 12 noon at Parliament, to support this call for a binding referendum. “We’ll find out that day whether the Select Committee has been listening to the public’s views which overwhelmingly oppose TPP”, says Ariana Paretutanganui-Tamati from the local group. “We want to mark this occasion with a rally for democracy.”

“We’re calling for a binding referendum because TPP would significantly undermine our elected representatives’ ability and freedom to work for us, only to give more power to foreign “investors” to secure their “property” and profits, and to offshore tribunals to enforce the new regime.”

“Of course our Government is entitled to govern”, says Ariana, “but they don’t have the right to trade away our democracy itself, which belongs to all of us, not to the politicians.”

“In our view, such a decision must be up to us, we the People, after a proper public debate which a binding referendum would ensure.”

“We’re organising the petition to the Governor General – in his role as the guardian of the constitution – to require this democratic process.” Ariana concludes, “We say - Let the People Decide!”

Ends.

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