Government challenged to put TPPA to binding referendum

“If the government is so confident it has sold the benefits of the TPPA to Kiwis, then it should put New Zealand’s participation in it to a binding referendum”, leader of the Democrats for Social Credit Party, Stephnie de Ruyter, told the Party conference in Christchurch yesterday.

As the Our Children’s Future Hikoi wound its way past the conference venue, Ms de Ruyter said the government was cowardly in the way it had dealt with the negotiations and the legislative process on the agreement.

Once again this government has thumbed its nose at the majority of New Zealanders, and is forcing us to accept participation in an international agreement which most believe will leave the country worse off.

That majority is in good company, as the major contenders for the United States Presidency agree that the TPPA is a thoroughly bad deal.

The Labour opposition’s fence sitting is just as cowardly because it hasn’t unequivocally condemned the deal and committed to withdraw from it.

If the Prime Minister truly wants the country to demonstrate it has moved out from under the skirts of mother England, which was one of his justifications for the flag referendum, he can't then keep the vestiges of that legacy in its democracy – a governmental system dominated by decision making by MPs only.

If the change of flag was important enough to put to a referendum then the wide ranging effects on the country of the TPPA most definitely put it into that league.

The Prime Minister should have the guts to commit to a referendum on the TPPA at the same time as next year’s general election.

A number of the delegates joined the Hikoi for part of its journey through Christchurch.

ENDS

© Scoop Media