Headline: Govt must release evidence to back Brownlee’s $5 billion TPPA claim
The Government needs to release any official reports that back-up Gerry Brownlee’s claims in the House about the economic benefits of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman said today.
When questioned in the House on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) in November this year Gerry Brownlee stated that there would be a ‘$5 billion year-on-year boost to our export economy’ from this agreement. In answers to written questions about Mr Brownlee’s claims the Green Party was told we would have to wait for any reports to back up Minister Brownlee’s claims.
“It is unacceptable for a Government Minister to claim $5 billion worth of benefits year on year to New Zealand from the TPPA and then for the Government to refuse to release any evidence.to back up this claim,” Dr Norman said.
“The TPPA itself is being negotiated in secret, and now it seems any evidence to back up the Government’s ridiculously optimistic claims are to be withheld too.
“The other conclusion to be drawn from the Government refusing to release any evidence to back up Mr Brownlee’s claim is that there is no such evidence of the TPPA’s benefits.”
The Australian Productivity Commission’s report from 2010 reached the conclusion that Australia’s six bilateral and regional trade agreements were oversold and often failed to deliver real benefits to business. The report also found that trade agreements could actually reduce trade, by bringing in complicated rules which make it difficult to sell to countries not in the agreements.
“The alleged economic benefits of free trade agreements, such as the TPPA, are often oversold to the public while the downsides are hidden,” Dr Norman said.
“The TPPA has a number of negative aspects, such as the inclusion of investor state disputes clauses, which will enable multi-national corporations to sue the New Zealand Government in secretive international tribunals if the multi-national corporations don’t like decisions of the New Zealand Government.
“The inclusion of these clauses in the TPPA could restrict the ability of future governments to legislate for the good of public health and the environment, such as plain packaging of tobacco.
“Given that signing New Zealand up to the TPPA will open New Zealand up to being sued by multi-nationals from any of the 11 countries involved in these negotiations it is vital the public is presented with all the facts.
“In a democracy, people should have the right to know the detail of, and have input into, international agreements the Key Government intends to sign us up to,” Dr Norman said.
Brownlee answer in the House $5 billion
Rt Hon Winston Peters: Does he still expect the Trans-Pacific Partnership to be completed by Christmas; if so, how can he reconcile that with an unprecedented letter—in US history, that is—to President Obama by congressmen of his own party and half of the US House pledging to oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership’s fast track through Congress?
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: Every effort has been made by New Zealand to participate in the negotiations to this date. It is of great value to New Zealand. We anticipate a $5 billion year-on-year boost to our export economy, and we would, of course, like to see the negotiations favourably concluded as soon as possible, but there are many parties to this agreement.
Government answers to our written questions
Question: What advice or reports were relied on for the supplementary answer given on his behalf to an oral question from Winston Peters on 14 November 2013 when the reply was that the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement could be a $5 billion year-on-year boost to our export economy?
Minister: Hon Tim Groser
Answer Text: I am not yet able to provide a response. I will provide the information in the near future.
Question: When a supplementary answer to an oral question from Winston Peters was answered on his behalf on 14 November 2013 that the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement could be a $5 billion year-on-year boost to our export economy were any potential downsides from this deal considered; if so what were these?
Minister: Hon Tim Groser
Answer Text: I am not yet able to provide a response. I will provide the information in the near future.
Question: When a supplementary answer to an oral question from Winston Peters was answered on his behalf on 14 November 2013 that the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement could be a $5 billion year-on-year boost to our export economy, what specific sectors of the New Zealand economy were expected to be boosted?
Minister: Hon Tim Groser
Answer Text: I am not yet able to provide a response. I will provide the information in the near future.
Question: Has Treasury or the Ministry of Foreign affairs and Trade conducted a study stating that the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement could be a $5 billion year-on-year boost to our export economy; if so, what is the name of this study and who wrote it?
Minister: Hon Tim Groser
Answer Text: I am not yet able to provide a response. I will provide the information in the near future.
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For the life of me I cannot understand why Unions pay National 100k+ in campaign contributions.
An article on Infinito Gold vs. Costa Rica gives a perfect, real-world example of the type of dispute-resolution process that the TPP would force on us all. A Costa Rican court identified illegalities in the process of granting permission to mine, and in the meantime such mining was declared illegal, so:
Infinito Gold says it will take the country of Costa Rica to international arbitration.
In a press release, the company said it had “served notice” to Costa Rica in April 2013, and after the country did not respond, its subsidiary announced a massive lawsuit is “imminent,” the largest in Costa Rica’s history.
The company believes the country is violating its trade agreements with Canada.
Yokebec Soto, spokesperson for Infinito Gold’s subsidiary in Costa Rica, told Global News by email the company has already invested $92 million in the project and if the project does not proceed, could lose $1 billion in profits. http://globalnews.ca/news/883756/calgary-based-mining-company-suing-costa-rica-for-more-than-1-billion/
The article notes that the international “judges” are not really judges, and that the process is notoriously subject to conflicts of interest. Justice for sale to the highest bidder?
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