In February CTU Secretary Sam Huggard wrote to the Parliamentary Committee about the very brief timeline to hear from the public about the TPPA.
“Yesterday we heard back from the committee that it refused to extend the deadline. To quote the email they said ‘The committee did agree to consider any substantive submissions received after that date on a case by case basis.’ So basically only if you or your organisation has an opinion or perspective the committee judges worth listening to then it will hear it,” CTU Director of Policy, Bill Rosenberg said.
“We are deeply concerned that the committee will self-select which submissions they will hear. Where is the democracy?”
“People are being asked to put considerable work into writing a submission on this complex agreement which even experts are still struggling to fully understand, without the certainty that it will even be considered.”
This is after Trade Minister Todd McClay stated publicly that he is “open to the public being given more time to have their say on the Trans-Pacific Partnership”.
“Everything about the TPPA – the negotiations, the meetings, and now the only formal opportunity for the public to be heard on the whole agreement, undermines the principals of democracy. This is not the New Zealand that we want,” Rosenberg said.
Some democracy this is!!@!
When they call for a road show to tell us what they have already signed us up to?????
Ah grasshoppas .
As a rugby player would you be suspicious of attending a trail for the all blacks when the team had already been named ? Not really a fair go is it .Same with the select committee.
1. Being asked to make a public “contribution” to a the MFAT TPPA ,select committee is a total farce , because logically we can”t make any difference to a deal that has been completed , signed and now can’t be changed.Its legal window dressing,and false political sincerity.Consultations needed to occur before negotiations not after them.Its bullshit.
2.Having 20 days to study and submit an intelligent critique of a 6000 word document is a disgrace.
3.Refusing to accept a submission from a world leading expert, Prof Kelsey on the constitutional implications of the Treaty of Waitangi to Maori under the TPPA is an insult and an abuse of the democratic process.
This is not DEMOCRACY its RAILROADOCRACY, aided and abetted by another bunch of National Neoliberal self interested narcissistic planet wrecking morons.
Tactically,TPPA people and organisations need to register their wish to make an ORAL (not just written submission) before March 11th .
If enough people register their intention to Oral submissions the select committee will in all likelyhood travel to major centers to hear in person and this will create more media attention and public concern.
Plus being able to confront Nat MPs face to face, with a supportive group has far more power than a document which is filed and ignored.
During the whole TPPA process National MPs have been secretive, smug and untouchable , with controlled presentations but no stomach for a real debate, so lets register our intention to make oral submissions , get up close and shame them face to face.
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