Kia kaha for a superbly orchestrated and performed act of power in defence of and against the state

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Congratulations and kia kaha to all those who stood against the signing of the Trans Pacific Agreement, in Auckland and elsewhere around the country, culminating in creative, positive and powerful protests on Thursday.

John Key’s typical response to discredit opponents of the TPP who mobilised in recent weeks, wears thin in light of images of the massive protest crowds and photos of halls full of everyday men and women who feel disenfranchised by the Government’s eagerness to suck up to big pharma, big farmer and big multi-nationals.

Tim Hazeldine, professor of economics at the University of Auckland says we were actually sold out years ago, so relatively speaking the TPP only offers up more of what’s already gone. Experts generally agree this next step in the sell-out is ultimately not a good enough deal for New Zealand to justify the costs.

Logic makes one wonder why we’d be so happy to sign away sovereign legislative rights in a one-sided arrangement that requires a deregulated economy for New Zealand, free from tariffs, but doesn’t require the same of all sectors in all the other trading partners party to the agreement.
We’re like the little powerless kid in the playground giving all his marbles to the bigger bullies if only he’ll be allowed to play. In doing so, we’re too eager to give away our bargaining power, and our dignity.

But in marching along Queen Street in a massive throng, in blockading streets in a superbly choreographed and performed act of non-violent direct action, everyday New Zealanders have allowed us to retain some of our dignity intact.

But while we fear unfettered multi-national free trade, we also already live in a globalised world; in solidarity we identify with brothers and sisters across national boundaries unified by class allegiances, by social, religious and ethnic identities and by environmental concerns.
Given that these free trade deals have opponents on the streets and in the homes, offices and factories in countries around the world, we were speaking as and for global citizens in protesting the signing of the TPP at the SkyCity / casino convention centre in Auckland. And it’s no coincidence that the signing should occur there. In fact, giving away our right to import and export based trade protections, and offering up our laws to challenge by overseas companies through the Investor States Disputes Tribunal, is at best, a gamble.

Yet some of the quality of life we have in New Zealand is due to access to the best goods the global market can offer. But we get some of the worst goods on offer too – inflammable pyjamas, contaminated plastics, products made with slave labour and at huge environmental cost. Some kiwi sectors such as dairy have been favoured by free trade based access to big overseas markets. But many local jobs are now off-shore. Some large New Zealand companies such as Fonterra and Carter Holt Harvey are the multi-nationals small producers in other countries fear.

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Even the sovereignty many of us worry will be lost under the TPP is a contested and somewhat artificial construct created to engender loyalty to the nation state which in itself can be seen as an unjust and illegitimate heir of colonial oppression.

The very fact that we’ve had to protest against the TPP (and asset sales and many other unwarranted acts of the state), and that it was developed in secrecy shows our democracy and sovereignty aren’t what we believe they should be.

Social change takes contests of ideas and of power. We saw that contest playing out over recent weeks and this week still. What it means to be a New Zealander is in flux, and sometimes duties of citizenship require taking a position that supports and yet transcends national boundaries. Sometimes, as with the TPP, defending the state requires acting against it. Standing up against the TPP, New Zealanders acted true to the interests of our sovereign self-determination, but represented dissident citizens from around the world too. A paradox of globalisation is that we can and should act local, meanwhile also thinking global, justifiably opposing the worst forces of multi-nationalism. In a magnificent show of power and strength, New Zealanders did this country – and citizens around the world, proud, and John Key hopefully dismisses that dissent at his arrogant peril.

43 COMMENTS

  1. It’s just one of those things were New Zealand has to many skills to be a low wage economy, and to little skills to be a high wage economy, and successive government who hollow middle incomes turning them into speculators. In other words no one has a policy

  2. “Yet some of the quality of life we have in New Zealand is due to access to the best goods the global market can offer.”

    That’s news to me and many others who can only find the products we want by going online.

    As for your comment about inflammable pyjamas; that really is nonsense and destroys any credibility your argument might have.

    Nothing in the TPPA will prevent NZ or any other country setting safety standards for imported products.

    As for slave labour, do you know where all the components for your computer, and whatever other device you use to write, come from and how they are assembled?

    If you cared about the environmental damage caused by rare metals mining that are essential elements of your devices you would go back to chalk and blackboard.

    • As for your comment about inflammable pyjamas; that really is nonsense and destroys any credibility your argument might have.

      So tell us why it’s nonsense instead of just saying so.

      As for slave labour, do you know where all the components for your computer, and whatever other device you use to write, come from and how they are assembled?

      So, that makes it ok? Slave labour is tickety-boo with you as long as you get your cheap consumer ‘goodies’?

      Ok, your reliance and acceptance of slavery is noted.

      If you cared about the environmental damage caused by rare metals mining that are essential elements of your devices you would go back to chalk and blackboard.

      Ah, that hoary old rhetoric.

      Or, as an intelligent alternative option, we could be achieving a high-tech, modern society with far less damage to the environment and justifications like yours are puerile nonsense.

      Not everything needs to be driven by disposable consumerism. Otherwise, you might as well live in Beijing and breathe a toxic air that would be closer to Saturn’s moon, Titan, than terrestrial atmosphere.

      But then, hey, “if you cared about the environmental damage, caused by disposable consumerism, you’d look for alternatives”.

      Right-wingers – you guys never think things through, past your immediate, selfish needs.

      • Gezz. So much baggage to unpack there. Imagine if you got a whole bunch of closet right wingers in front of a camera. And just let them talk.

        My reaction is always wtf mode. We can’t be like this, we shouldn’t be like this.

      • The statement is nonsense as said because nothing in the TPPA will prevent any country setting safety standards on products.

        I do not really follow the rest of your response. The point I was trying to make is that many of the items we use every day are manufactured in less than ideal conditions and the TPPA is not likely to contribute to the growth of slave labour or environmental despoilation. There is in fact hope that a strong group of trading nations might impose better standards.

        And finally just because I disagree with your views leave of the cliche about right winger. I am neither right nor left. I agree and disagree with the views of all sides of the political spectrum. Unlike people like you I do not slavishly follow the party line.

        • The statement is nonsense as said because nothing in the TPPA will prevent any country setting safety standards on products.

          Really, Beatty? You might take a moment to research ISDS lawsuits before making up blanket statements like that;

          Swedish energy company Vattenfall reportedly plans to sue the German government, seeking massive damages related to Germany’s phase-out of nuclear power. Vattenfall successfully took on the German government once before…

          The Krümmel nuclear plant near Hamburg, one of two German reactors operated by Vattenfall. Zoom
          AP

          The Krümmel nuclear plant near Hamburg, one of two German reactors operated by Vattenfall.

          When Chancellor Angela Merkel decided to rapidly phase out nuclear energy in Germany this spring in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan, many predicted the policy would ultimately end up in court. Now, according to a report in the Wednesday edition of the business daily Handelsblatt, Vatenfall plans to file a billion-euro lawsuit against the German government. The suit is to be filed by Christmas with the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) in Washington D.C., the paper reported.

          Ref: http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/vattenfall-vs-germany-nuclear-phase-out-faces-billion-euro-lawsuit-a-795466.html

          Germany wants to phase out atomic power plants for safety reasons – and are being sued for it.

          Christmas has come early for advocates of tobacco control, with tobacco giant Philip Morris’s lawsuit against Australian plain packaging legislation ruled invalid. Australia will not have to pay any damages to Philip Morris. Indeed, it is likely that Philip Morris will be ordered to reimburse the Australian government’s costs in defending this suit.

          This outcome is also an early Christmas present for defenders of much maligned investor state dispute settlement (ISDS). The Philip Morris case had become the bogeyman of ISDS. It was held up as a reason to object to ISDS clauses in free trade agreements.

          ref: http://theconversation.com/australias-plain-packaging-win-over-philip-morris-should-take-the-heat-off-isds-52541

          Another case where a government was sued for trying to implement safety-related legislation. In this case, at a cost of A$50 million, the Aussie government won the case.

          There is a chance the Australian government may re-coup the A$50 million cost to defend against Phillip Morris’ ISDS lawsuit – but it is not guaranteed.

          And smaller countries may not be able to withstand the high legal fees of defending a lawsuit.

          Meanwhile, the richest nation on Earth is now facing a multi-billion dollar lawsuit;

          Energy company TransCanada is using the investment dispute settlement mechanism in its trade agreement with the US, to sue the American government over President Obama’s decision to cancel the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline for environmental reasons.

          […]

          TransCanada is suing the US after Obama rejected its Keystone XL pipeline because of concerns over oil spills and the higher emissions easier access to oil from Canadian tar sands would bring. The claim, brought under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), is worth $15 billion.

          ref: http://www.euractiv.com/sections/trade-society/keystone-pipeline-isds-lawsuit-highlights-legal-risks-eu-trade-deals-321274

          If you look up “ISDS lawsuits over safety”, you’ll find many more such instances.

          So your faith-based support of the TPPA is mis-guided and not supported by facts and recent events.

    • You might have read the article more carefully Beattie. I said free trade itself has brought us some of the best goods, and whether you buy them in a shop or online is irrelevant. And in terms of the worst goods on offer such as inflammable pyjamas, I make this point because the influx of cheap Chinese made goods under deregulated import/export conditions has already undermined safety standards. You suggest a strong interstate position might strengthen these rules, but there’s as good, or greater chance that they’d undermine them as non-tax restrictions to trade. I was setting the results of current free trade (with some good and bad elements) in the context of the TPP, not saying the TPP caused some of these problems already. Of course I know where my computer comes from and that it contains precious metals etc, but you know nothing of my lifestyle or my resource consumption on which to base your judgement, meaning your case is pretty ridiculous. More careful reading and less haste in your reply, and less negativity and fairer critique would help your argument.

  3. All the protest did was piss off a lot of good hard working people trying to go about their lawful business, in other words an own goal. I know you wont agree Frank. I am sure we will agree on something sometime.

    • Sometimes, Dave, the greater good means some of us having to experience a moment of inconvenience in our lives. The cause of the suffragettes and blacks in Sth Africa and Southern United States, are but a couple of examples.

      Sorry if you were “put out” – but if you get over your “moment” of self-centred view of the world, you’ll discover that there are far important important things confronting us than “going about our lawful business”.

      And by the way, “going about our lawful business” once included slavery. That must’ve been hellishly inconvenient for businesspeople “going about their lawful business”, having to give up their “lawfully purchased and owned” slaves.

      • Meh. It’s the right thing to do. If special interest groups or the Maori council had of had more involvement with TPP negotiations. New Zealand may have been in a better position to hit the ground running come TPP ratification. Stuff we should have started years ago like double international air travel. Pay down a bit of debt.

        I mean New Zealand is just not ready to play with the big boys. It takes me a month to get a boosted board in NZ (unless i use airfreight, not happening) we are just not ready to pay premium prices.

      • Hahahaha!!!!

        So to the point , Frank… oh yes…. how laws do change throughout time…

        There were a few films based on fact whereby slave traders caught on the high seas would chain large groups of slaves together who (were abducted from Africa’s West Coast ) and throw them overboard before to avoid detection ….

        Guys like Dave would only focus on the inconvenience it caused to the southern slave buyers of the plantations of the Southern USA … we couldn’t have poor old Dave having to think beyond his morning bowl of slave gathered corn flakes, could we now…

        Yeah hell… despite the fact that access to ALL hospitals was still open all that time as well as all other emergency services…. poor old Dave just doesn’t like young , bearded , ‘different ‘ looking types , does he now…far too messy for poor old Dave…

        Just a whole heap easier to fall back on the old cliches from the 1960’s and say they all need a bar of soap and bath…

        Dave….stop looking at the 1950’s McCarthy films…we’ve all moved on , mate. Its 2016.

        And here’s one for you Dave that’ll really set your teeth on edge – as far as Nga Puhi and so many of the rest of us are concerned….

        CHICKEN JOHN .

        Bwarrrrrp , bwarp , bwarp , bwarp….. bwarrrrp , bwarp , bwarp , bwarp….

    • I was not put out at all. My point simply is that pissing off normal people is probably counter productive .

      Depends on your definition of normal people.

      You are probably referring to your own friends and peers, so yes, some sleepy, lazy hobbits will probably object being forced to take notice of matters and think in a manner that’s not predigested for them by Mike Hosking or Patrick Gower.

      • If you piss off too many people, you will not win an election.As principled as you are, a political party cannot effect much change in opposition, or at least not as much as if it was in power. The way things are going, national will win the next election.

      • I don’t think propping up demagogues and quasi fascists is ‘normal’, rather it is evidence of a disturbed or depraved mind that decided that ‘ethics’ and ‘compassion’ are just annoyances that get in the way, and not human values.

    • Do you think 25.000 people are not normal.
      i believe those people are whats going to put a halt to the wrongs in NZ.
      We are being kettled into a bleak future by the likes of Key and his corporations.
      Dave its people with a mindset like you that are so self centered as to believe no one like you should be inconvienced.
      The people in the march came from all over the country to protest ,do you imagine they found it convienient to take time to try to save NZ from corporation controll, they spent time and money to get there.
      Take a wider view Dave, the politicians love people like you who accept
      anything they say,and who prefer to stay silent so that no one is inconvienced.

  4. “creative, positive and powerful protests” absolutely Christine, I am so impressed what they achieved with intelligence, creativity and right on their side.

  5. @Dave – I can see where you’re coming from – but this can also happen… A workmate asked me if was I at the TPPA protest, I said yes, – we then went on to have a discussion about the TPPA. – Now that has to be a good thing – some debate.

    • As opposed to capitalism which, in 2008, nearly brought the world economy to it’s knees? Just remind us, Andrew, how many Venezquelan socialists were in Wall St boardrooms as the GFC hit nearly every country on this planet? And who offered the first multi-billion bailout to various corporations to prevent them from collapsing? (Clue: initials GWB)

      • Sure capitalism is an imperfect process….but it’s far better than anything you can think up.

        Socialism on the other hand has a zero percent success rate. There are only two reasons a person would ever consider it:

        1/ Insanity

        2/ Ignorance of the history.

        So I’ll give youngsters the benefit of the doubt because they’ll figure it out in due course as they mature.

        • Have you even looked up socialism on Wikipedia because your interpretation of it is wrong.

          Socialism for Air New Zealand seemed to work out fine in an NZ context. Using public money to bail out a private company, that’s socialism. Using public money to maintain health and education, that’s also socialism.

          I don’t think you know what you are talking about

          • Sam those things are not ‘socialism’, because market economies contain elements of public/state ownership and delivery. What has made NZ so successful in recent years is getting that balance about right.

            • Of course you would say socialism isn’t socialism, or capitalism must perform under certain economic conditions at certain times.

              One systemic source of rising inequality is crony-capitalism/crony socialism, the vast array of insider deals, collusion, winners being picked by central government, too big to fail banks bailed out with taxpayer money, etc. People are increasingly aware the Status Quo is rigged, and the playing field is tilted to favor the few inside the crony-capitalist castle (what I call the New Nobility in a Neofeudalism).

        • I thinnk the shit is baout to hit the fan again re an economic global collapse. Won’t be long now… So capitalism yeah nah.

  6. Hmmmm….interesting that here we have a PM who indulged in common assault on a female over 6 months – repeatedly… and has appeared shamelessly in radio promotions of himself in which prison rape was made light of,…and such things as peeing in showers…

    And in today’s NZ Herald we have CHICKEN JOHN sanctimoniously saying the dildo thrown at the Joyce clown was ‘crude and basic’…and hes worried that it has been plastered around the globe on front pages…hes worried about his ( Nationals ) ‘ image’ . ( not ours- were too busy laughing at the goons )…

    So lets get this straight ….so its OK for THE PM of this country to make himself and the office of the PM look like a total arsewipe nationally ( and internationally ) , …. yet when it comes to the TTPA deal all of a sudden he is a paragon of virtue and community values…

    CHICKEN JOHN…..you would be so much more believable if you didn’t have vested interests in the TTPA and never lied continuously about democracy , sovereignty and the XKEYSCORE/Cortex mass surveillance programs…. and every other thing since your tenure in office.

    Google Hackpad : Honest John for further historic documentation of this liar.

  7. Yes, Andrew…its good to see your little ‘TTPA vested interest’s ‘ PM idol being roundly booed at the Nines …

    Im sure even you would agree that is the height of democratic participation for this country when even the rugby crowds are booing the little shit.

    Or are you going to turn round and say those rugby fans were all arts students and leftover hippies from the 1970’s as well?… see how moronic your arguments are starting to sound?

    And Im sure there were more than a few who wished if only they had a big pink dildo on hand they would have biffed it at him too.

    Yep – you’ve got to hand it to democracy … its been a long time in coming but CHICKEN JOHN is on the wane. And there’s nothing you can do to stop it, boyo.

    • Missed the booing on the news Was it on? But then, I was having a good time at Waitangi, with the good people, and good protest people there, without the big jerk-etc showing up.

      • The PM was at the Auckland Nines, waiting for an opportunity to have a three-way handshake if the Warriors won, or at the very least a dingleberry cleaner in the changing sheds with Shaun. I heard they booed Key there at the Nines too.

        He’s a joke as a PM, no dignity, no class, no regard for consultation or democracy, just a cheap facade banker, with a heart and soul of stone.

        Otherwise his “precious TPPA Ring signing” (spoken with a Gollum accent) would have been debated in parliament. During the debates, the Maori Party would meet Phil Goff and David Shearer crossing the floor to vote.

        Corporate signing of TPPA, behind the polished corporate doors of Skycity and giving the middle finger to New Zealanders and democracy.

        So our response to this?

        Scenario 1: Give the middle finger over the flag referendum and let Gollum Key take his TPPA ring back to Hawaii to lick his wounds and polish his TPPA ring, while he waits for the election in 2017.

        Scenario 2: Maori Party cross the floor during the debates and vote with the anti-TPPA parties and bring down the coalition axis of evil. Early election.

        Scenario 3: Wait for the forces of democracy to shatter the TPPA ring in the USA.

        Scenario 4: Blame it all on the big German guy

        Scenario 5:Manufacture a domestic crisis and blame it on TPPA rent-a-mob in collusion with “Mickey Mouse Waitangi Maoris” (to paraphrase Gollum Key), while he has a beer at the Auckland Nines.

        Scenario 6: Instead of V for Vendetta masks , the next protesters should all carry P for Pink Sex Toys, the new symbol for discontent with the dicks in power. Overeseas we have had the green uprising, the orange uprising, here we’ll have a pink uprising.

    • The crowd were not booing the PM. I was there cheering for the Warriors and for the Prime Minister. They were booing a security guard who was standing up and blocking the view of the game.

      You left-wingers just can’t stomach the fact that the PM is one of the most popular PM’s ever and is destined for an unprecedented 4th term in 2017.

      – See more at: https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/02/06/kia-kaha-for-a-superbly-orchestrated-and-performed-act-of-power-in-defence-of-and-against-the-state/#comment-324683

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