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NZ, Wellington, 7 March – It had been raining intermittently through the the morning, but as mid-day rolled into 1pm, the skies partially cleared and the sun broke through over a city glistening with rain drops. It was well-timed, as citizens began to assemble in down-town Midland Park. This was to be another expression of public anger against the so-called “Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement”.
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There were a wide variety of signs. Some professionally printed, others hand-made;
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Entertainment was provided by the “Brass Razoo” band;
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This sign was especially clever;
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A panoramic view of the growing crowd;
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The Green Party was very much in evidence;
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As were unions – for whom “free” trade agreements are never free and come at a cost of lower wages, reduced conditions, job-insecurity, and lost jobs;
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The host and one of the organisors of the event was Dr Sandra Grey, National President of the Tertiary Education Union;
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One of the first speakers was Green Wellington city councillor, Sarah Free;
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Ms Free said she was proud that Wellington City Council had joined with Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Nelson, Palmerston North, and other local bodies around the country in opposing the secrecy of the TPPA. She said,
“We want trade but not at any cost. Not at any cost. We want to keep those freedoms we have at the moment, to look after our public health, to look after our working conditions in the city, to make sure that people and the environment are looked after. We actually value those freedoms.
We are here because we are nervous. Nervous what that government’s proposing to do with our sovereign rights. Nervous about the power they’re going to give to these faceless corporations.
It’s not a trivial nervousness that we have because these corporations under these investor state dispute clauses, have sued governments. They have sued governments for things like trying to get plain [cigarettes] packaging in Australia. They’ve sued Ecuador for just changing the size; making the size of the health warnings on the cigarette packages a little bit bigger. They’ve sued Peru for trying to shut down the smelter that was causing lead poisoning in it’s communities.
In fact they scared the Peruvian government so much that they actually backed away from shutting down the smelter!”
She said that a mining company had sued the government of Ecuador after the company had been found to be breaking the law.
Ms Free said we had good cause to be scared of the investor state dispute clauses, which the American government had been very keen to implement after it’s North American Free Trade Agreement of 1994. She said that disputes were arbitrated in secret dispute-tribunals and had risen exponentially from 69 cases in 1999, to 370 in 2012.
Ms Free told the crowd, to loud cries of “boooo!”, that law suits were being under-taken by powerful corporations with vast sums of money, against democratically elected governments.
She asked those in the crowd to put their hands up if that made people nervous. A sea of hands shot up into the air.
Ms Free pointed out,
“It’s no coincidence that the power of the corporations has also coincided with the increasing inequality of wealth worldwide. I do not think this is a coincidence.
1% of the world’s population now controls 50% of it’s wealth. 85 individuals are wealthier than 3.5 billion people at the bottom end.
We’re talking about the modern day pharoahs, and their slaves.
We want trade, but not at any cost!
Our free trade agreement with China did include some clauses, and also included protection for our environment, our public health, and our Treaty of Waitangi.”
Ms Free wanted a clear message sent to the government, saying,
“Why should we settle for any less with the TPPA?”
Some more light mockery by clever citizens;
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It seems that our Dear Leader is developing something of a reputation for amnesia? Or selective recall?
Ms Grey told the crowd that 600 lobby groups, representing corporations, had looked at the draft TPPA – but the public have not been allowed the same right.
Ms Grey then introduced the next speaker, CTU National Secretary Sam Huggard;
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Sam started by referring to the investor state dispute settlement mechanism as one of the nastiest aspects of the proposed agreement;
“It’s a provision which allows… companies and unaccountable offshore tribunals to sue our governments if they have the audacity to make changes which improve the wellbeing or the economic security or improve equality in our country. Why would our government or any government around the world want to sign up to an agreement which allows foreign companies to sue us if we have the audacity to improve our water quality or bring in other other environmental protections? Or if we wanted to improve our health policy settings to improve health and wellbeing? Or improve the economic security of people?”
Sam said that such investor mechanisms were creeping into trade agreements all around the world.
Sam told the crowd that French multi-national corporation, Veola, which managed Auckland’s rail transport network, was currently in the process of suing the Egyptian government. He said that Veola was suing the Egyptian government for increasing the minimum wage, and Veola was complaining that such a move would strip their ability to make profits.
He referred to tobacco giant, Phillip Morris, that was suing the Australian and Uruguan governments for introducing plain packaging for tobacco.
Sam said he wanted nothing to do with an agreement he considered “nasty and dodgy”,
“I don’t want it signed in my name,” he told Wellingtonians, and those listening agreed noisily with his sentiments.
Young people, expressing their views;
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And other citizens, expressing their reservations, concerns, and outright opposition to an agreement which is being negotiated in secret, and which very, very few understand the consequences for our country, society, and economy;
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Sandra then welcomed Dr Gaye Keating to the microphone;
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Dr Keating announced to the crowd that she was part of a new group that had recently been created, ‘Doctors for Healthy Trade‘. She said that the group was a response by doctors around the world, including the President of the World Medical Association, calling for more openness in trade agreements, such as the TPPA, before they were ratified. She said that there was concern amongst the medical profession that international trade agreements were fraught with major health risks, based on past, recent examples.
Dr Keating stated that there were fears, based on leaked draft versions of the TPPA, that plans were afoot to make medicines more expensive, to increase the profits of pharmaceutical companies. She said that this would be a problem not just for wealthy countries like New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and the US, but others such as Vietnam, who could not afford medical drugs “pushed up for extra American companies profits”.
Dr Keating raised the issue of safe workplace practices and condemned the TPPA for potentially undermining health and safety laws in New Zealand;
“New Zealand knows about the problems of mines which are not managed for the safety of their workers. It kills people. We also know about things like tobacco, which also, if it’s not managed properly, kills people.
From the leaked documents, it is really clear that the TPPA freezes a country’s ability to protect people. It puts in place in place options to protect profits. It does not put in place protections for people’s health.”
Dr Keating added that climate change was also a major health threat, saying;
“We need to be able to put in place protections, for safety in terms of greenhouse gases and safety for reacting to catastrophic climate change.”
She concluded by saying,
“So both for New Zealand and for the Pacific states whose islands are going to be drowned, and for the countries in places which are being mined, we need to take a responsible stance to protect health in New Zealand but also in other countries, we should not allow other countries to be bribed or bullied into laws that are bad for their health.”
After a brief discussion on the merits of marching to Parliament with impending bad weather approaching, the decision was made by the public to proceed with the march.
Well over a thousand people marched through Wellington, toward Parliament’s grounds. I saw no hecklers or anyone on the footpaths showing any antipathy toward the protestors. I did, however, witness people nodding and clapping;
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This citizen posed a very good question to our esteemed Prime Minister;
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New Zealanders, for the most part, are not stupid. With all the secrecy surrounding the TPPA, they smell a dead rat – not unlike the stench from old, decaying road-kill at the height of our recent hot summer.
In this shot, you can see how far back the march filled Lambton Quay, as protesting citizens neared the Cenotaph;
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Meanwhile, Police presence during the march was minimal, except for traffic control. This lone constable appeared to be doing a good job, bringing traffic to a stop as marchers walked safely through the intersection;
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Yet again, someone in Parliament (the Speaker’s Office? Parliamentary Services?) had decided to keep the Main Gates closed and padlocked, forcing hundreds of citizens to squeeze through an open, narrow, side gate;
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Because, judging by the crowd-barriers erected in front of Parliament’s steps, I think we can safely assume that someone was expecting the protest;
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It took a bit longer, but the marchers – which had swelled in number since departing from Midland Park – assembled in front of Parliament;
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Though determined, it was a good-natured crowd and their was no hint of anything anti-social or potentially violent, arising. The revolution would not be held today.
This woman came forward from the crowd and volunteered to use sign-language to communicate with anyone who might be deaf, translating speakers’ speech into Sign;
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Sandra introduced the first speaker to address the crowd, Todd Rippon, vice-President of Equity New Zealand (formerly Actor’s Equity);
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Todd made an impassioned forceful statement which left listeners in no doubt where he stood on the TPPA;
“Performer’s lives are directly affected by trade agreements. In 1994, the National government signed a World Trade Organisation agreement which effectively made it illegal to have New Zealand content quota on our televisions.
So that basically meant that we gave free reign to broadcaster services internationally, to access to our televisions and screens. So the Labour government years later, led by Helen Clark, tried to support the production of film and television in New Zealand. She found she couldn’t. That government could not do a thing.
It was hamstrung by that stupid agreement. Because it was internationally illegal!”
The crowd reacted with anger, expressing their opposition to what they were hearing from Todd.
Cries of “Shame!” echoed around Parliament’s grounds.
“Now this TPPA, this agreement is like that World Trade Organisation [agreement] on steroids. Only this time it’s not going to affect performers, it’s going affect our education, it’s going to affect our healthcare, it’s going to affect agriculture… it will just go on and on and on!”
Todd was clear in what he wanted;
“I want our kids to be to able to decide their own futures. These trade agreements get locked in for decades. But our kids deserve better. I want our kids to be able to see New Zealand content on their televisions and when they go see films. I think it’s apalling that we allow foreign corporations to decide what we see on our screens! We deserve better than that!”
Todd did not need a microphone and speakers when he forcefully thundered;
“I challenge our government to respect our culture! I challenge them to protect our culture! Signing the TPPA is nothing short of insanity! We must not sign it, Kia kaha!”
The crowd loved it and erupted with exuberant applause and cheering.
Amongst the crowd, another citizen held aloft a placard, with a very simple question for our esteemed Prime Minister;
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Sandra next introduced Jean Kahui, from Taranaki Whanau ki Te Upoko o Te Ika, and researcher on the process of fracking;
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Jean told the crowd she has been researching the fracking of Aotearoa for the past. She said that her findings into fracking were alarming, and she could not stand by and allow government and Big Oil to pollute our children’s future. She warned that if the TPPA proceeded then so would fracking, warning that “our future will be dismal”.
“The French decided to ban fracking in 2011 and Big Oil did mount a challenge. But the highest court in France upheld the ban, cancelled the permits, and sent the frackers packing. Without a TPPA, we can do that too.”
There was enthusiastic applause when Jean said that.
Jean said that that the State of New York banned fracking on the strength of over 400 scientific studies. The over-riding concern was that the effects of fracking was not yet fully known.
Last week, she said, Tasmania renewed their ban on fracking for another five years. The Tasmanians were concerned at protecting their premium, safe, locally grown produce from potential contamination.
Jean said,
“The list of communities banning this extreme mining technique continue to grow while back here in ‘clean, green New Zealand’, our motto is clearly, “drill baby drill, and frack the hell out of every well”!”
Jean said that with the TPPA, a frack-free New Zealand is achievable.
Jean cut her speech short as dark clouds loomed over-head, and drops of rain began to be felt.
Sandra introduced singer, Matt Pike, who belted out a stunning rendition of the ‘Twisted Sister‘ song “We’re not going to take it anymore” (with a few words altered to make it relevant to the day of protest);
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Like the 1960s song, “We shall overcome“, it seems that “We’re not going to take it anymore” has become the protest anthem of the 21st century. The crowd joined in with gusto.
A protester taking a photo of me, photographing her. (I presented her with one of my business cards, giving her my details – some measure of reassurance that I was not SIS, GCSB, or some other National Party stooge.)
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Following Matt, Sandra introduced speakers from several political parties. She revealed that National had refused to send a representative to speak on behalf of their party. They “lacked the guts”, she said.
United Future had sent their “apologies” – to which the crowd reacted with derision.
As rain began to fall more heavily, Sandra announced that each speaker would be given a one minute maximum time limit to speak. It was now a “race” to beat the on-coming “weather bomb” that had been predicted for the city.
First up, Ariana Paretutanganui-Tamati from the Mana Party and long-time opponant of the TPPA addressed the people;
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Ariana also spoke with deep passion, expressing her deeply-held beliefs, that we needed elected representatives who looked after our rights and looked after our country, and our future. She said,
“We will keep fighting because we are a movement of the people, for the people. Whether we have representation in Parliament or not!”
Ariana described the TPPA;
“This is a kind of agreement that you cannot give an inch, they will take a mile! Let’s keep this pressure on!”
She encouraged people to join the TPPA Action group, referring to the group’s Facebook page as a contact point.
Ariana spoke briefly, but the crowd loved her passion.
Following Ariana, was NZ First’s Fletcher Tabutean, looking very “corporate” in his suit;
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Fletcher said the those who promoted the TPPA were compromising the sovereignty, people, and businesses of this country. He further explained;
“I have submitted on behalf of NZ First a Private Members Bill which will fight foreign corporate control.”
The crowd cheered wildly as he railed against Big Corporates, demanding that they not be permitted the right to sue the New Zealand government, nor take away our sovereignty.
“They shouldn’t even begin to think about it! They don’t belong here.”
Fletcher finished by poking fun at the government;
“John Key’s not listening to you, he’s not listening to you today. But I’ll tell you what… maybe his focus groups will hear you. Maybe his focus groups will go back to his office up there and say, ‘You might have something to worry about, John. There were a lot of people here today’.”
Many of the signs, like this one, were imaginative – very much showing the creativity of New Zealanders;
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The next speaker was James Shaw, from the Green Party. Like Ariana, he received a rapturous welcome from the crowd as well;
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James launched straight into a rousing attack on the TPPA;
“It’s because of you that we can defeat the TPPA. We can defeat the TPPA, we have done it on things like this before, and we can do it again. When we’ve got the strength of numbers, and you’re demonstrating that despite the weather. All over the country there are thousands of people marching against the TPPA today.”
“This is a Bill of Rights, not for you, not for our country, but for multi-national corporations. It goes against everything that is the sovereignty of this country. It goes against our environment, it means we can’t look after our healthcare, we can’t pass our own laws. We are ceding our sovereignty to foreign corporations.”
James stated that the Green Party would be supporting Fletcher’s bill through Parliament;
“We’re going to be doing everything we can and today we’re calling on the government to release the text. We’ve been calling on them to release the text for the last couple of years, to release the cost-benefit analysis. Because if it is so good, why is it so secret!”
He re-iterated that point,
“If it is such a good deal, why won’t they tell us what a good deal it is. The only thing that we know about this, is all of the risk.”
As the rain began to pour more heavily, the last political party representative was Grant Robertson, from the Labour Party;
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Grant first paid tribute to the Unions who had organised the protest, giving a “big shout-out” for their efforts.
Without any further mucking around, Grant got straight into giving the Prime Minister ‘a serve’;
“I’ve got two messages, the first of those is to John Key. He’s had a lot to say in the last couple of weeks about people’s courage. Well, my message to John Key is get some guts and be upfront with New Zealand about the TPPA.
This is not a normal trade agreement. This is an agreement that goes behind the border to issues about what rights we have in that building [pointing to Parliament behind him] to make laws. John Key needs to understand that and come to New Zealand with the text and with the government’s negotiating position.
Otherwise he’s not acting in our name and he must be stopped from doing that.”
Grant continued;
“The second message I’ve got is this, if this agreement can’t guarantee our right to make laws in our interest; if this agreement can’t guarantee that PHARMAC continues to get cheap medicines for New Zealand; if this agreement can’t guarantee that people who have good ideas here can start businesses and don’t get shut down by the intellectual property law; if this agreement can’t do that, then my message to you from the Labour Party is, ‘No Deal’!”
And lastly, from Karen and her two courageous young daughters, Tracey and Katie. By now, the heavens could no longer hold back, and the weather bomb ‘exploded’ over the city, drenching people as the girls struggled to address the crowd;
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“Kia ora tatou, my name’s Tracey and I am 12 years old. Today I am here like you because I worry about what will happen to my and my friend’s future if the TPPA is signed.”
Tracey said she understood that the trade deal was a bad idea for her and her future. She referred to the negotiations being held behind closed doors and doubted if they would be signed in our interests.
“I thought the whole idea of communities was to help one another and to work as a part of a team,” Tracey said in her soft voice, hesitantly.
The crowd cheered and clapped.
“After all,” she continued, “isn’t this what we learn at school?”
Tracey was followed by her sister, Katie;
“Kia ora tatou, my name is Katie. I am 11 years old and like my sister I am very concerned about the TPPA. I have on many occassions handed out flyers and have chalked for people to google TPPA.”
There was loud cheering when Katie said that. She continued, hesitantly;
“Many people have seemed interested in what I have to say while handing out out leaflets. But there were also some people that had no interest or were quite appalled that I would do this. But why wouldn’t you if you knew that this was going to be signed in secrecy by our government?”
Both girls may be young in age, but they certainly knew the issues involved, and were probably more informed than the average New Zealander.
Finally…
Who is Anonymous?
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None of us. All of us.
We are the people, Mr Key. Expect us.
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Contact
Facebook: TPPA Action Group
Previous related blogposts
Nationwide Day of Protest Captures Public Attention on TPPA
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Frank a good line up of pictures and messages they said.
I liked NZ First Fletcher who said
“the those who promoted the TPPA were compromising the sovereignty, people, and businesses of this country.
“I have submitted on behalf of NZ First a Private Members Bill which will fight foreign corporate control.” The crowd cheered wildly as he railed against Big Corporates, demanding that they not be permitted the right to sue the New Zealand government, nor take away our sovereignty. “They shouldn’t even begin to think about it! They don’t belong here.”
“John Key’s not listening to you, he’s not listening to you today. But I’ll tell you what… maybe his focus groups will hear you. Maybe his focus groups will go back to his office up there and say, ‘You might have something to worry about, John. There were a lot of people here today’.”
We say;
The sad thing we feel is that MSM never gave this the airing all these splendid peoples efforts deserved, the MSM is disgraceful and should hang their heads in shame.
Where do we send our pictures of our 200 that marched down main street in Gisborne?
I’m not “nervous” about the provisions of the TPPA!
I’m f*cking angry!
And why should any future government be held to uphold this piece of paper, when it goes against the sovereign interest of the people and the nation!
8 Negative votes and 2 Positive votes. . .
What does that mean about those mentally challenged people. I feel sorry for them. They know nothing of what TPPA entails and yet root for it because of the ‘team’ they are on. . .
SAD, SAD world we live in!
Chuck em up on the 3 News Facebook page (One News won’t let you comment). And Campbell Live – and the National Party page – heck – just bomb Facebook full stop – it’s pone way of getting them out there 🙂
Fletcher is a great speaker and his passion against the TPPA is so evident. We were lucky enough to have him speak at the November 2014 TPPA march in Rotorua. Here’s the link to his speech.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKL1r3R5o14
Wow Frank great story. A brilliant summation of the Wellington TPP Rally for those of us that were elsewhere.
Good to see NZ First’s Fighting Foreign Corporation Control Bill. Great to see that the Greens will be supporting it. What did Grant Robertson and Labour say on that one?
Will they support it? This is critical to the TPP campaign. Labour have to make very clear their position on this Bill.
We in TPP Action who have been lobbying Aotearoa NZ’s local government sector are promoting the principles Labour developed at their November 2012 Annual Conference held that year in Auckland. They developed 2 important policy statements remits 34 and 35. The following link is to a pdf of the various party’s policies including Labour’s so you can read for yourself;
http://www.itsourfuture.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Party-policies.pdf
A month later Auckland City Council adopted a TPP policy similar to Labour’s remit 35. This is the policy that TPP Action has asked all territorial and regional councils to sign up to.
Auckland, Nelson, Tasman, Christchurch, Dunedin and just a couple of weeks go Wellington City Council on the 25th February (cheers to the Greenz Cr. Sarah Free our champion and all Councillors at WCC) have agreed. Other Councils are considering it actively.
TPP at Hutt City Council tonight!
Hutt City Council’s Policy and Regulatory Committee meet tonight 5:30pm Monday 9th March @ the Woburn Room in the Angus Hotel cnr. Cornwall Street & Waterloo Road Lower Hutt.
Below is a link to the Council agenda. You can navigate to the TPP report item 8 by scrolling to page 56 or by clicking on the menu on the left of the page;
http://infocouncil.huttcity.govt.nz/Open/2015/03/PandR_09032015_AGN_AT_WEB.HTM
Come along if you live in the Hutt region, or just come along, and lend yourself to our important campaign.
All the institutions of democracy are available for employment. Don’t let them continue to be unemployed.
Get involved its our future, all of ours.
Be good to see you stop TPP at Hutt City Council.
Be good to see you lobby your Kapiti, Porirua, Upper Hutt and Wellington Regional Councils as well.
Democracy is like muscle, the more its exercised the bigger it gets.
Hello daily bloggers, commentators and lurkers,
The Hutt City Council Policy Committee adopted our TPP Policy Solution suggestion last night and has recommended it to the the Full Council Meeting. It might be that Council will be 24th March.
We will be there to support the Council further in this activity. We aim to again present in the public forum. Those engaged are most welcome to attend.
Democracy is like a muscle the more its exercised the stronger it grows.
Key and his money trader mates want their hands on any and every thing in our lives so they can have total control. Only one thing they can’t control and that is the minds and hearts of the people. Why don’t voters understand how dangerous they are? They pay lip service to expressed concerns and pretend to help while behind the lines they are plotting a totalitarian state where they have total control over anything that adds to their individual fortunes.
What does this quote mean?
“Our free trade agreement with China did include some clauses…”
I am pretty confident that the TPPA will also contain clauses. That doesn’t necessarily mean it is a good thing but the same could be stated about the NZ-China FTA.
I suspect Sarah Free was contrasting certain clauses in the China-nz fta with ” protection for our environment, our public health, and our Treaty of Waitangi.”
If you are truly curious, and you weren’t just being being pedantic again, you can email Ms Free at the Wellington City Council and find out for yourself.
The neo-lib agenda that’s infected ALL and EVERYTHING. How is it that we’ve even bought into (and accepted) the regularly trotted out platitudes that say “I can’t comment – it’s commercially sensitive”?
Now that might be a valid excuse where private investor’s money is at stake – it’s certainly not acceptable when the public’s money, its sovereignty and its right TO BE is at stake. Now I think about it – where’s that right wing bugger’s muddle that goes by the name of the Tex Pay Yas Union in all of this? Troughing it with the best (worst) of them no doubt.
Commercially sensitive? And the proponents of the TPPA often profess to be democrats.
The NZ Labour Party has, and continues to miss so many opportunities politically. They might wake up one day, but I bet it’ll be when it’s too late, when they’ve squandered there principles, and when they’re close to being considered irrelevant by the NZ electorate (such as they are with a dysfunctional 4th Estate who are bought and paid for). I can’t imagine the number of Labour Party founders that are rolling in their graves right about now.
Christ Almighty – there have been so many missed opportunities its becoming depressing.
‘there’ should be ‘their’ above btw.
10000% Tim.
How stupid does the NatZ troll Goosman look when he/she said ” I’m pretty sure the TPPA will contain some clauses????
That says nothing.’
If they have protection for our protection show them!!!
If the MSM did there job properly, informing New Zealanders about the TPPA, I would say most nz’ers would take to the streets. The fact that our so-called public media is 50% owned by a subsidiary company of Goldman saks ( John Keys mates) makes one wonder about the lack of TPPA exposure to the general public.
I have been against this “agreement” for a long time. I marched on Saturday against it.
Now i am going to piss some of you off with what I am going to say now.
Saturday was about the TPPA not about the Treaty of Waitangi (though, in reality it might be to a degree) it was not about Palestine, it was not about fluoride in water, it was not about the tin foil hat brigade taking the opportunity to hop on their particular soap boxes. But they did.
We are NOT going to win the hearts and minds of the general populace by turning this into a protest, rent-a-mob affair. This is more important than even that.
I believe that you have to look at what the bottom line of this thing could be and work on that, if you want to convert those that trust that this agreement won’t affect their day to day lives.
What you have to highlight are
1) That once signed and brought to parliament for discussion and ratification, we will NOT be able to change it and we will NOT be able to chuck it out the door. If we are to try and change it would have to go back to the other signees to agree to the things we want changed (surely that at the very least is easy to get people to understand). The other signess will have an expectation of ratification and given that as it stands Natl has the numbers to do it, no matter how the thing looks to you or me
2) A great deal of this agreement will not be made known to us for many years, explain how that can be acceptable
3) Only a few clauses are actually devoted to free trade, so what do the rest state? Don’t try to answer that question, just leave it there for people to contemplate
4) Even right at this minute if GMOs don’t bother you, country of origin labelling of food is not a concern for you, you couldn’t really give a toss about plain packaging for tobacco, as a person who believes in the democratic process and if sometime in the future the majority decided that these things were an issue, do you think anyone has the right to sign the ability to do anything about them away, is ok?
5) And absolutely bottom line, to those who still need some convincing, can you honestly say that it is no alright for us to say what should NOT appear in this thing
If I have touched a nerve for a few of you, too bad, if you want to protest about other things, then go organise a march about that at another time, alienating the very people you need to be informed and to join the noise will get us nowhere
Over 3 thousand showed in Christchurch, and that was in drizzly weather.
The Press understated the whole event, with little details and claiming there were only 1 thousand who attended.
The global corporate elite want more and more power and control over people and countries and our deep seas. TPPA, if passed, can still threaten internet freedom and we will suffer from a loss of our sovereignty. The secrecy is about those 12 countries and 26 chapters fearing that the people will see that we will get all the debt and the hurt and abuse of the workers and the destruction of our environment and they will get all the goods and resources and buckets of their only prized goal ===>>> MONEY. Shouldn’t it be PEOPLE BEFORE PROFITS !! BUT FOR THEM IT’S PROFIT BEFORE PEOPLE. We no longer have a legitimate government – it is controlled by corporations and agencies like CNN; FBI; CIA; World Bank; BBC: GE: Monsanto; Nestle; Chemical and Pharmaceutical Corporations and arms dealers – etc . . ETC. . . . They use massive mind control and social engineering and fear as they set up the worldwide war machine and resource theft. STOP TPPA – facebook/ send emails to ministers and newspapers and friends and on and on. Thanks ! ! to all the non-violent demonstrators on Saturday! ! Keep the pressure up. John-ny boy K-ey is a corporation in disguise of a man, ob-a=m*a and ca-me*ro-n TOO!
T H E T I M E H A S C O M E ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Freedom
Watch Nicky Hager 25minute discussion about our loss of privacy with Selwyn Manning’s new site, it was brilliant.
This is us signing up to US and others who will use that hovered data of our commercial secrets that may kill our competitiveness.
Key lied again tonight saying GCSB doesn’t spy on Kiwis on mass, but the American NSA is for the Government.
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/03/09/tonight-on-eveningreport-nz-extended-interview-with-nicky-hager-and-more/
Well done Frank great to see some really accurate coverage from Wellington . Also really good to see Labour / Grant Robertson fronting at last .
Could find virtually no coverage of nation- wide TPPA protests from main steam Sunday papers which is really disturbing .
The CH CH Press did run a Monday TPPA story on page 3 which was light in detail ,and understated the numbers considerably.
I must also congratulate the Christchurch Organising committee who have worked very hard the last 2 months and got 3x the Wellington numbers ,with over 3500 for the Sat March 7th demo 2015 . This was even more impressive given it was a rainy day.
Speakers included The co leader of the Moari Party , the Wizard who rarely supports political events and put a powerful spell on the TTPA ,and John Minto ,( who now works in Christchurch).Ruth Dyson didn’t speak but was also in attendance.
Overall support seems to be growing at grass roots but not reflected well in mainstream media . Im surprised Campbell live haven’t had some serious input .Choked from above ?
I believe if Campbell Live showcased some prominent New Zealanders who are against this “American corporate espionage” and” transferance of governance” it could help ,get the text released.
After all the Eurpoean Parliment will be releasing the full text of the European version of the TPPA ,(the TTIPA ),after a ruling from the ombudsman of the European Parliment.
If Sir Edmund Hillary were still alive and prepared to stand against the TPPA on nationwide primetime TV ,then Keys would be in serious trouble indeed.
Considering the numbers now getting out on the street nationwide ,and whats at stake constitutionally , the relative silence of the media is truly disturbing.
BLACK LEMMING;
Hear,hear. ‘Truly disturbing’ it is. On many important subjects.
Time to cut them off completely. It’s happening world wide.
The Global Elite’s fog horn / megaphone.
The Internet has many advantages.
As this article shows;more in depth analysis of events such as this.
Separate yourself from the social engineering and the manufacturing
of opinion/consent or propaganda.
All the adverts and in television the time wasting of 20min/hr
which is one of the highest in the world. They cultivate ADD.
All the celebrity’s demonic lifestyles that destroy our culture and
corrupt our youth. (I was a victim with the messages in music)
Remove the violence and criminal behavior. Reports (from MSM)that it does not affect society is utter bullshit. Known science; ‘monkey
see,monkey do.’ Ingrained in our genes.
Separate from the Dominate Social Themes designed to fear-monger
and separate us from our wealth.(I used to play spot the Jew until
I knew better. I now play spot the meme.)
By finding trusted sites, you can quickly glean the important and
useful information. And you couldn’t do better than start with:
http://www.scoop.co.nz – An independent clearing house news and info.
http://www.globalresearch.ca – get to the heart of the matter in major events. What they are not telling us.
And if you want mainstream;
http://www.rt.com/news/ – Professional standard.(refreshing) Good shows
and documentary’s. Un-bias debate. More viewers globally than BBC.
(BBC have been caught fabricating news on more than one occasion
No adds,celeb and sport to distract us.
For health;
http://www.mercola.com – THE top health site,independent ranking global.
A site to keep for life,literally.
For those academic;
http://www.TARPLEY.net and http://www.paulcraigroberts.org
http://www.thedailybell.com
And last but certainly not least. (one for you FRANK)
http://www.thunderbolts.info – The Electro-magnetic Universe that has
been kept from us.
Boot on the throat of science for 100yrs. The electrical connection
of Earth to the Sun has been recorded and photographed.
Einstein’s equations don’t work,thus the need to dream up Black Holes and Dark energy and matter. Proven NO Big Bang.
Proven red shift is NOT a measure of velocity speeding away.
Stephen Hawkins,the new false messiah.
The ‘missing matter’ is PLASMA. ie ionized +ve,-neg and neutral particles that gather together in ‘clouds’ and become highly conductive.
The electro-magnetic force is to the power of 39 greater than gravity. Looks like gravity it’s self is an electro-magnetic phenomenon.
It is not a constant,varies globally.4th,5thform physics.
Planets are charged bodies in space.
Sun is a plasma discharge.
The empirical experiments done already.
Model accepted by Electrical Engineers Ass.
This site,alone,gives us the scale of misinformation and deception.
It has held back all sciences.
And all life itself is plugged into this matrix.
I feel privileged to know this before I die.
And if you dare;
http://www.infowars.com – Military and Gvt’s worldwide view this site.
Global framework and agenda.
A paradigm shift is required from what we were taught from child to
adult.
When it happens,it all becomes clear.
Spot the meme a mile away.
Understanding does not occur until one is ready to accept it.
Cheers.
I agree Iain, cut them off completely. And your’e right, once people realise they are constantly being marketed to, from all angles – and simply wake up to the fact, then change will occur. I am trying to spread the word in my everyday life, but as you say, one must ‘understand’ for themselves.
Thanks for all the links – very informative, and finishing on my own meme ‘knowledge is power’.
Despite the best efforts of knowledgeable people to show what the TPPA is really about, the sad truth is that the sleepy hobbits of New Zealand are too dumb to see the truth. Instead of seeing a shyster poncing around North Auckland promising the world to everyone who votes National, and eternal damnation to others, they see their dear leader reciting a forgotten book of the new testament and all they want is to be part of this wonderful world. It is supremely hard to combat mass apathy and idiocy, especially if the media that is supposed to spread the truth is equally apathetic and idiotic.
[…] blogpost was first published on The Daily Blog on 9 March […]
Interesting article today from an aussie perspective..http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-16/trade-agreements-largely-unutilised-by-businesses/6323280………
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