Taking the Government to court over TPPA secrecy and ignoring Red Peak

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NZ-CORPORATE-FLAG

Groups fighting TPP secrecy set for their day in court
A group of organisations wanting to cast light on Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations will tell the High Court on Monday that Trade Minister Tim Groser is acting unlawfully in refusing to outline New Zealand’s position.

Jane Kelsey, a Professor of Law and trade commentator has filed a statement of claim seeking a declaration that Groser breached the provisions of the Official Information Act.

In February Groser’s office issued a blanket refusal to release documents to Kelsey related to negotiations on the proposed 12 country trade deal, which is yet to be completed.

The secrecy around TPP negotiations has led to protests up and down the country, with more than 20 protesters arrested in Wellington earlier in September, after trying to force their way into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade building on Lambton Quay.

Kelsey’s claim is made jointly with seven other groups, including Consumer New Zealand, Auckland iwi Ngati Kahungungu, Oxfam and the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists. It will be heard in the High Court in Wellington.

If the TPPA is signed, it won’t matter what bloody flag we fly because it won’t stand for anything.

Opening NZ up to foreign corporations able to take us to Court for passing our own domestic laws robs us of economic and political sovereignty. We have already given America so much by allowing mass surveillance, to hand over what little we have left makes a mockery of anyone who has fought for social justice in this nation.

Key’s allegiance is to Washington, not Wellington. If you’re not angry yet, you are probably watching Seven Sharp, Story or the Paul Henry Show.

The lack of critical debate on an issue as pressing to how our democratic system actually works compared to the distraction of the bloody flag is an insult. Jane Kelsey has done more than any other to demand answers here, her intelligence and leadership is something we should all respect.

This is not a left or right wing issue, like mass surveillance, it’s a NZ issue. To allow foreign corporations to challenge law we pass in NZ is counter to every interest we have. There is no amount of milk sales worth trading our sovereignty away for.

If NZ Parliament decide to pass a law – that is the right of the NZ Parliament, having that law challenged by foreign corporations in a court where only contract law matters would be the greatest loss of agency since Key passed mass surveillance laws for the NSA.

Key cares about his next appointment onto the WTO or IMF or Goldman Sachs, he doesn’t give a damn about what happens here post the sign off.

Let’s be clear, once signed off by Key and Groser there will be nothing Parliament can do. All the claims that somehow we can debate the deal to ensure it’s good for us once we get it back is false. The Executive signs this off, not Parliament.

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The TPPA is a national security leash endorsed by America to counter Chinese influence into the Pacific. We are being driven into signing a deal that is in the interests of Washington, not NZ.

We must not allow this to pass.

7 COMMENTS

  1. Hurrah, well done Jane Kelsey you are much admired by nz people .
    If it is up to parliament though expect John Key to ignor everything.
    Keys job is to deliver on a plate NZ inc to the corporations.
    We hope the courts are not his plaything,he gets his own way,and seems to be covered by the “LAW”
    What should happen is Class action against Key for what is his penchant for selling NZ down the river in favour of corporations,in other words he is a traitor,put here by the corporations to favour corporations.
    History will show him as a traitor when it is to late to do anything.We have ample proof of these charges, lets act on them.

  2. Can we still have pandas under the TPPA, and is Jonky getting in before pandas become a corporate “national commodity”?

    BTW will panda burger meat be cheaper or more expensive under TPPA?

    Will New Zealand be able to sue WWF for using panda as their national symbol, or is that the exclusive privilege of China?

    Someone told me that whoever has the most pandas when the TPPA is signed, gets to sue World Wildlife Fund for breach of panda copyright. No wonder shonky wants to import them PDQ. The royalties from suing the World Wildlife Fund will be able to be used to pay off NZ’s debt mountin.

    http://www.nationaldebtclocks.org/debtclock/newzealand

    Pandas – NZ’s debt mountain – sorted.

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