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NZ, Wellington, 15 August – In an otherwise grey, gloomy sky, much-heralded rain made only a brief appearance with a few drops of moisture, as Wellingtonians and citizens from further afar congregated at Midland Park in the heart of the city. The first sign was held aloft on the footpath, just outside the park proper – an indication of what lay ahead;
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Some artistry adorning poster roundels;
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A damned good question posed on this placard;
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A wide variety of other placards awaited bearers;
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John Key has said that even if the medicines that Pharmac buys “cost a little bit more“, that government will pay for it and citizens will not have to pay a cent extra;
“If it did pay a little bit more, then the Government would fund that and New Zealanders would pay the same amount.”
Firstly – where does Key think the money comes from that Government would use to top up Pharmac’s drugs-bill in the event that the TPPA pushed up the costs of medication? From the bloody tax-payer, you Tory Twat!
Secondly, having to pay for increased costs of medicines would mean that other areas of healthcare would inevitably have their budgets cut.
And thirdly, Key is in no position to promise anything on keeping the cost of medicines down. His government has already increased the cost of Pharmac medicines in 2012 from $3 to $5.
Who on Earth would trust Key not to do it again?
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The ‘Brass Razoo‘ band entertained the crowd, with “Uncle Scam” danced to the ominous sounding “Star Wars Imperial Theme“;
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New Zealanders voicing their concerns over the secrecy over the TPPA;
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If the deal is so good – why is the National Government keeping it secret from us? Negotiators from all participating counties know exactly what is in the texts. Only the public are not privy to the same information.
From a phrase that TPPA negotiator, Minister Tim Groser, has been known to use;
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“Obama” being “arrested” by “pirates”, and charged with “treason”;
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The media was well represented, and both TV channels gave good coverage of the protests up and down the country;
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From younger to older generations;
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The Park quickly filled. Numbers swelled well beyond previous anti-TPPA protests;
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Marchers moved through Wellington’s CBD, growing in number along the way;
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Traffic came to a standstill, as the procession wound along the length of Lambton Quay, toward Parliament;
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Past the Cenotaph, where we commemorate fallen soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice for our sovereignty;
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Once again, as with past protest marches, the main gates to Parliament were firmly locked…
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… forcing thousands of citizens to squeeze through two narrow side gates. The contempt shown by those in ‘Authority’, to the New Zealand people exercising their lawful right to protest, is unmistakeable.
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With young citizens leading the way…
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– the grounds rapidly filled with people;
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Numbers ranged from Radio NZ’s 3,000 to Fairfax’s 5,000 in attendance. The northward view;
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The southward view;
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It was interesting (and refreshing) to see the large numbers of families and young people present. This was not simply a turn-out of the usual, committed, anti-TPPA activists – these were citizens expressing their disquiet (and outright opposition) over a deal being negotiated in secret, and which would have far-reaching ramifications for our society.
Tangata Whenua showed their concerns at the secret TPPA deal-making that was going on in our name, behind closed doors;
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Secretary of the NZ Council of Trade Unions, Sam Huggard, explained why the TPPA would be bad for workers rights. He gave the example of trans-national corporations suing the Egyptian government for merely trying to implement a minimum wage;
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“The big corporations, when they were cooking up this agreement in their high rises in Wall Street and Washington DC, and the politicians like John Key and Tim Groser who do their bidding, were hoping that the agreement would go through without this level of dissent. We weren’t meant to have a say, that wasn’t in their model.They weren’t counting on the health sector mobilising over access to medicines. They didn’t want Maori mobilising to question how Treaty of Waitangi protections were being affected by this secret agreement. They were hoping the tech sector wouldn’t get organised around the impact on copyright laws. And they didn’t want to see unions critiquing the anti-worker provisions in the TPPA, like the Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions, provisions that were recently used against the government of Egypt – sued by French multinational Veolia Group in response to Egypt increasing the minimum wage.None of this was part of the plan. They wanted the agreement to go through quietly. But we wont let that happen.”
Gay Keating, from Doctors for Healthy Trade, explaining why the TPPA will harm healthcare in New Zealand;
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“Someone did the sums that its going to cost a billion over ten years if they stretch out the costs for the length of patents.
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One of the things that’s pushed so many people in the health sector into being absolutely furious about this agreement is that is the wayit’s going to push people who are healthy, into sickness.
And it’s the processes which make it more difficult for countries to bring in controls on unhealthy products.
You’ve all heard about the $50 million pricetag that Australia’s facing in terms of Stage One of the fightback [by] the tobacco companies.
That’s what we’re signing up to in this agreement.
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The biggest health threat of our century and our children’s century and our moko’s century is climate change.
We need to be able to control greenhouse gases and we need not be handcuffed.
Our government must not be handcuffed for health.”
Todd Rippon, from Actors Equity NZ, detailed how a previous “free trade” agreement had reduced the amount of locally produced drama on our television screens. He said the TPPA would be even worse;
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“Performer’s lives are directly affected by trade policy. We have been hit hard with the blunt end of a big stick by that World Trade Organisation deal.
We know what it feels like to be cast aside to make way for extremely rich US corporations. I think you know what I’m talking about, yeah?
Signing the TPPA will not only make a bad situation worse for us performers, but it’ll make it worse for virtually every aspect our beautiful country.
Every aspect of our beautiful, tiny, vulnerable country.
Nothing will be untouched.
You name it; health, environment, education, Treaty obligations – no way. They will be wiped out in the name of international profiteering.
Don’t let that happen!”
Documentary producer, Bryan Bruce, was well-received by the crowd and spoke well about the nature and problems of the TPPA. He condemned the potential eight to ten year extension of patents for medicines, saying that this would inevitably lead to people dying needlessly for want of treatment;
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“What’s on the table is human misery. The poor have as much right to health as the rich.
Bryan concluded with this warning for National if they went ahead and passed the TPPA;
“We will not forget and we will not forgive them.”
To listen to Bryan’s thought-provoking speech, go to Mick McCrohon’s video on Youtube.
Blues singer, Darren Watson and Delia Shanly on drums entertained the assembly with a rendition of ‘Planet Key’. The words were slightly amended to reflect on the issue-of-the-day. He also sang another of his original songs, ‘I Got Your Office Right Here‘, full of satire and good natured poking-fun-at-John Key.
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One lone female protestor managed to evade the barriers and Parliamentary security. She made her way to the top of the steps and sat down, adopting a peaceful meditating-position;
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Other protestors also jumped or skirted the barriers to dance on the Parliamentary forecourt, as Mick McCrohon’s video on Youtube shows.
It should be pointed out that though protestors “breached the security cordon”, they did not – as the Police and Mainstream Media have reported – try to “storm the steps of Parliament”. That never happened. (In fact, if any mainstream media were present when this occurred, I did not witness their presence.)
A video-recording in my possession clearly shows young people rushing to the steps, and then sitting down on the first half dozen steps – before police arrived to reinforce the half-dozen Parliamentary security guards standing over the protestors. The handful of protestors made no effort to “storm” the steps, as some have mistakenly claimed. They stopped and sat down before Police arrived (which my video also clearly shows).
See: Citizens face Police armed with tasers at Wellington TPPA protest march
Eventually, the protest ended and the good people of Wellington (and further afield) dispersed;
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As they arrived, they departed; in peace.
Let us hope that this National government has received the message they left.
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References
Parliament: Little, Andrew – Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers
Fairfax media: Prescription cost to rise to help pay for Budget
Parliament: 7. Trans-Pacific Partnership—Scope of Negotiations and Release of Information
Huffington Post: Corporate Courts – A Big Red Flag on ‘Trade’ Agreements
Youtube: TPPA PROTEST Wellington 15th.August 2015 Speaker Bryan Bruce
Youtube: TPPA Protest – Dancers Storm The Barricades At NZ Parliament Building
Acknowledgement
Appreciation to Mick McCrohon‘s Youtube video’s, to complete this report.
Main Stream Media
Fairfax media: Thousands march against TPP trade agreement
NZ Herald: Thousands rally against TPP across New Zealand
Otago Daily Times: Thousands turn up to rally against TPP
RadioLive: Thousands urge govt. to ditch TPPA
Radio NZ: Thousands turn out to protest TPP
TV3 News: Thousands march against TPPA deal
TVNZ News: TPP protesters push through barriers at Parliament
Previous related blogposts
Citizen A – 29 Nov 2012 – TPPA Special
TPPA: Business launches propaganda campaign
TPPA: Doomsday scenarios, Critics, and flights of fancy
Open message to the Middle Classes about the threat of the TPPA
Nationwide Rally Against the TPPA – Day of Action!
They marched against the TPPA and the threat to our sovereignty (part tahi)
They marched against the TPPA and the threat to our sovereignty (part rua)
The Mendacities of Mr Key #5: Has Tim Groser shown the P.M. to be a liar on the TPPA?
Nationwide Day of Protest Captures Public Attention on TPPA
Opposing the TPPA – the Heavens hold their deluge ’till the People speak
Citizens face Police armed with tasers at Wellington TPPA protest march
Other blogs
No Right Turn: Help end TPP secrecy
Theocracidal: Thousands Protest TPPA, Cthulhu’s office minions hide under desks
The Standard: Groser – an arrogant git with a tin ear
The Standard: TPPA Protest review
Support groups
Facebook: Oil Free Wellington
Facebook: It’s Our Future – Kiwis concerned about the TPPA
Website: It’s Our Future
Facebook: Aotearoa is Not for Sale
Action Stations: A Secret Trade Deal So Terrifying That Parliament Isn’t Even Allowed To Know What It Says
Facebook: TPPA Action Group – Wellington
OraTaiao New Zealand Climate and Health Council
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» Use must be for non-commercial purposes.
» Where purpose of use is commercial, a donation to Child Poverty Action Group is requested.
» At all times, images must be used only in context, and not to denigrate individuals or groups.
» Acknowledgement of source is requested.
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Frank, good summary of a protest but the language is a bit emotive. Do all these people know what is in the TPPA? Not sure how anyone can vote to walk away without knowing what they are walking away from.
I think many people have jumped the gun and are protesting more against the National government than anything else. If that is the case they should be honest about their protest.
Grant, that is precisely the point. We don’\t know what is in the document. But leaked draft texts are not reassuring.
I doubt you’d sign up to a contract, sight unseen, without knowing what your’re putting your signature to. I suggtest New Zealanders are canny enough to understand precisely the same situation.
There is just cause to be wary about National, considering their broken promises, dirty tricks, and misinformation since 2008/09. Only a naive National Party supporter would ignore what has gone on.
Frank, what you seem to be inferring is that that we all saw the text of other free trade agreements before they were signed. How, do you negotiate if all the information is in the public forum?
Grant, negotiators put their positions on the table, as documents. Then they negotiate. They can’t negotiate blank pieces of paper.
In fact, some of those documents have already been leaked.
What is kept secret are bottom lines and how far negotiators are willing to go.
The draft text of the TPPA is already in circulation.
It is that draft which we, the public, have a right to know.
Thanks Frank, I understand about participants to the negotiations. I just don’t understand what protester have to do with these negotiations based on leaked on information.
[…] looks like this photo by Frank Macskasy. As Macskasy outlines in his report on the Wellington protest, there are major concerns that the secretly negotiated TPPA will have a negative impact on PHARMAC, […]
[…] blogpost was first published on The Daily Blog on 17 August […]
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