Frustrated, angry, disillusioned about the resurrected TPPA? – it’s not over just yet – make a submission by 18 April (instructions enclosed)

From It’s Our Future NZ Don’t give up! It’s incredibly important to make your voice heard at the select committee, otherwise they will say people are happy with the ‘new’ deal. It’s Our Future has prepared some short templates for submissions. You can send as they are or add to and change them. They have to be sent using Parliament’s submissions webpage. THE CLOSING DATE IS 18 APRIL You can access the submissions page here Also make sure you say if you want to speak to the submission in person in the city nearest to you.   Templates for submissions to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee on the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement on Trans-Pacific Partnership (aka the TPPA-11)   Option 1: I support international agreements that address the challenges of the 21st century: climate change, Treaty justice, inequality and poverty, ending corporate rule by and for the 1%, survival of the planet and all its species.   The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, in any form, does the opposite.   That is why I oppose it, and why I demand that you, as our elected representatives, provide a real future for us and our children’s children, as set out in the petition presented to Parliament on 8 March 2018.   You cannot just ignore our voices.   If you ratify this Agreement, I will join the campaign for New Zealand to withdraw at the review you have promised within three years.   Option 2: I oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, in any form. In its place, I call for a positive and progressive trade agreement that meets these 10 bottom lines: An end to secrecy, with democratic oversight at every stage of the treaty making process Unrestricted rights for government to protect the public interest, public services and the environment Unfettered rights to regulate overseas investment and investors, and no investor-state dispute settlement Honouring te Tiriti o Waitangi and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Guarantee that international obligations on human rights, labour, women, health and environment have precedence over commercial interests Positively create job opportunities through local procurement, public services, support for small businesses, and diversification of the economy Conduct independent impact assessments of the impacts of proposed agreements for the economy, jobs, health, te Tiriti and the government’s right to regulate Exclude local government from obligations under those agreements Protect the public role and responsibilities of the State Protect access to knowledge, privacy and digital rights Option 3: Labour and New Zealand First, you promised no TPPA. The CPTPP is the TPPA in drag. It was unacceptable before and it is unacceptable now.   I want you to negotiate agreements that will serve the people of this country, based on the petition presented to Parliament on 8 March 2018, not agreements that profit the 1%.   If you ratify this Agreement, I will join the campaign for New Zealand to withdraw at the review you have promised within three years.    Option 4: Our Tiriti, not your treaty. _______________________________________________________________ Ensure you have your say! Nga mhi nui Chatelle Campbell It’s Our Future Coordinator

Sign the Don’t Do It! Petition

Donate now to help us keep fighting the TPPA

Five Eyes military exercise takes place under pretext of ‘Air Show’ as Jacinda Adern welcomes Obama in preparation of US joining TPPA in 2020.

From the Facebook page of Postman Investigates New Current affairs NZ Investigative News  with Ben Vidgen, Glenn Holmes, John Minto, Dave Hoppy and Dai Mitchell.

The United States Air Force has confirmed its intention to have the world-renowned F-16 Fighting Falcon Jet Demonstration Team attend Wanaka from the Misawa Air Force base in Japan. Also displaying at the Airshow will be the C-17 Globemaster Demonstration Team out of Hawaii. Both the F-16s and the C-17 will operate out of Christchurch International Airport for the duration of the Airshow. Christchurch Airport is to host the Americans on the ground as according to the airshow organisers they’re unable to land at Wanaka. The RNZAF will help out with flying members of the US contingent through to the Airshow at various times over the weekend say the show’s organisers.

The timing of the visit which can expect aircraft to fly in ahead of the show coincides with the visit of former President Barack Obama and a month ahead of Hillary Clinton’s visit organized by the US Chamber of Commerce and US Business Council, the organization heavily involved in lobbying for the TPPA and believed to be in discussion regarding the reentry of the US into the treaty following the next American election (thought Trump hinted at the re-entry of USA into TPPA at Davos in Janaury this year). Therefore potentially the aircraft may also be participating in the anticipated visit by Obama to the South Island following the sighting of private jets, used in the advanced Secret Serivce of Bill Clinton during APEC 1999, in Dunedin earlier this month.

The American aircraft will not only ensure the biggest ever line up of modern military aircraft at the Wanaka airshow but the RNZAF intends to have one of the largest turnouts of its aircraft types at the Airshow. This is in addition to other Five Eyes (the defacto military arm of the TPPA) members attending the show including the Australians who are sending a Spartan transport aircraft along with Hawk Jets while the French are coming with the CASA transport jet.

Wanaka is currently also the site of a NASA facility funded by the US military, one of several facilities to pop up or expand using equipment built by known military contractors, these include the expanded Waihopai facility in Blenheim, Rocket lab in Gisborne, a private facility however funded by the US Navy, expanded tracking facilities in Bluff, among other known or suspected sites upgraded or added to in the past few years.
Further the visit by contemporary military aircraft at this year’s air show is not the only time we have seen an influx of Five Eyes military aircraft to New Zealand.

On August 3 2017,” New Zealand Defense Minister Mark Mitchell confirmed that Singapore’s fighter jets would be participating in an upcoming military exercise between the two countries. The news came as the two sides consider options for basing these aircraft in one of the country’s largest airfields for training as part of their broader effort to further their military cooperation in the coming years”. (Ohakea will also be basing a Singapore cyber intelligence unit and comes at the time Five Eyes is using Information Dominance warfare to suppress dissenting voices on social media).

Singapore is believed to have left equipment when their intelligence, cyber intelligence and artillery trained here during Operation Rolling Thunder while the USA left helicopters and other equipment here during Operation Koru in 2015. These exercises mark an escalated presence by Five Eyes security forces since 2011 including several visits by the US marines based in Hawaii. Our sources suggest this includes building barracks for the Marines (at this stage able to house 300 soldiers) in Waiouru for permanent “winter training”.
In January 2017, Singapore and New Zealand officials discussed stepping up cooperation through various ways. One of these opportunities had been for Singapore to set up a pilot training base at Ohakea Air Base, New Zealand’s third largest airfield, recently subject to a $2 billion dollar upgrade, as the land-scarce city state continues to look for other partners that can provide room for it to train its armed forces.

In February 2017 two Singapore F-15s were at the Ohakea Air Base for celebrations commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. And in June, when New Zealand’s air force chief Tony Davies paid a visit to Singapore, he viewed a static display of the F-15 fighter aircraft at Paya Lebar Air Base.

On August 3, Mitchell, the defense minister, announced that a Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) training exercise hosted by the Royal New Zealand Air Force would take place at Ohakea Air Force base from 30 August to 25 September. Jacinda Adern and Winston Peters who have both confirmed their commitment to both the TPPA and the Five Eyes security alliance have yet to suggest this proposal or the 20 billion earmarked under national will be scrapped under their administration.

This month Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said her ministers were working to get an exemption for New Zealand from the US’ imposition of tariffs on steel and aluminium. This supports the Postman’s claims last month that the current trade war and aluminum tariffs would be used by the USA to reinstate it self in the TPPA and have the currently suspended TPPA provision reinstated. The Tiwai smelter employs over 3000* people and is the backbone of Southland economy which generates over 20% pf the country’s gross domestic product.

Adern told reporters New Zealand had a strong case for an exemption because of its “long defense and security relationship with the United States stating New Zealand was clearly not an intended target of the tariffs, given its steel exports to the US were small. Ardern stated New Zealand’s relationship was similar to Australia’s in many ways and Australia had been given the exemption. Both New Zealand and Australia are ‘five eyes’ intelligence partners with the US.

*Tiwai’s website cites 800 employees

Sign the TPPA-11 Petition – Aotearoa is STILL not for sale

We request the House of Representatives to urge the Government to reject the resurrected Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement

We request the House of Representatives to urge the Government to reject the revised Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, now known as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement on Trans-Pacific Partnership, and that the House revise the Standing Orders of the Parliament to ensure the process for negotiating and signing trade and investment agreements is more democratic, independently informed, and regularly feeds information back to the Parliament and the people.

READ MORE & SIGN AT THE LINK:

https://dontdoit.nz/

What you need to know about the ‘new’ & still secret TPPA that isn’t new & doesn’t bode well for Maori, or anybody else really except of course the corporations

Ah… this is good for you but we can’t tell you how good because it’s all been negotiated in secret and we aren’t allowed to tell you what it says but trust us Kiwis … it’s good for you … Tui anyone?

 

Posted by Jenese James

This is a trade deal NZ should NOT SIGN – The TPPA is a corporate passport to exploit the natural wealth of a nation by ‘legally’ robbing its citizens and the environment of that natural wealth

I want to point out the reason why so many politicians promise this and that before they get elected but once in power reneg on that promise – its because of the T&C of various trade deals done through membership of various organisations often in secret – to give an example …”…..Trade Minister David Parker says NZ First’s policy of taxing bottled water exports would breach various international agreements because it is discriminatory. But there is a much bigger risk that foreign investors could threaten to bring an ISDS dispute if moves to resolve water claims affect their commercial interests….”

here is another example

“…….The new government is rushing through changes to the Overseas Investment Act to restrict foreign purchases of residential housing. They admit that the law would breach the TPPA if it was passed after the agreement came into force….”

Its vital to grasp this because this is the key to understanding how policies are now made via these agreements and why voting really doesn’t make much difference once deals are done and always these deals are not done in public view but behind closed doors in secret as this trade deal reveals it – the secrecy behind it is tantamount to a betrayal of the people because it will allow corporations to steal the wealth of the people of the nation for private profit,

example … “…….The separation of cutting rights from the land was a device used by the Labour government in 1988 to allow corporatisation of the forests and separation of the land from the trees so the forests could be privatised…..”  …. this was the Roger Douglas’ cabinet.

Another example …  “…Labour and NZ First want to restore the right of NZ, and Maori, ownership of the forests. They have to change the foreign investment law before the TPPA comes into force because they can’t do so afterwards…..”…

so when you protest you are protesting against a much bigger force than you realize – politicians’ hands are tied once deals are signed.

Read it all below

This is about the TTPA and Te Tiriti o Waitangi..

Written By Jane Kelsey

The state of play with TPPA

Ø The original Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement was signed by the 12 negotiating parties in Auckland on 4 February 2016, in the face of a massive protest led by tangata whenua.

Ø Japan and NZ completed their domestic processes to ratify (adopt) the original agreement during 2016.

Ø In January 2017 US President Trump withdrew the US’s participation from the TPPA.

Ø The 11 remaining countries met 7 times in 2017 to rescue the TPPA minus the US.

Each country tabled a list of provisions in the TPPA that it wanted removed or suspended.

Apparently, NZ under the National government did table a list of requests, but that remains secret.

The new Labour-NZ First government, supported by Greens, only had input into these negotiations at the very end.

Labour asked other TPPA countries to suspend the right of foreign investors to sue the NZ government in offshore tribunals over new laws and policies (investor-state dispute settlement/ISDS), but it failed.

Labour did not seek to make other changes or even suspend other provisions of concern to Maori.

Ø In December 2017 in Vietnam, the TPPA-11 agreed to suspend 20 items from the original text, pending the US’s re-entry; 4 matters remained to be finalized.

Ø In January 2018 in Tokyo the TPPA 11 announced a new deal, one year to the day from Trump’s withdrawal.

Ø Canada insisted that it needed changes to protect its culture sector. Reports say it also achieved changes on automobiles, although that was not on the list. These were done through side letters that remain secret.

Ø The TPPA-11 will contain the entire old agreement. 22 of the 1000+ original provisions have been suspended, pending US re-entry, but they have not been removed.

Ø The TPPA has been rebranded the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement on Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP or TPPA-11) even though the substance is the same as the old TPPA.

Ø They intend to sign the TPPA-11 agreement in Chile on 8 March 2018.

Ø The text of what they agreed remains secret. Japanese officials say the text will not be released until after it has been signed. The National Opposition, which ran the secretive negotiations, wants the text released.

Ø In January 2018 President Trump said he would consider re-entering the TPPA, but the terms would have to be more favourable to the US than the original agreement.

Ø The process for US re-entry will require consensus. Labour says some suspended items may never be re-activated. But the US domestic political processes mean any US re-entry will inevitably require more benefits to the US, not less.

Ø The TPPA-11 will reportedly come into force after 6 of the 11 parties have ratified it by completing their domestic processes. Again, the actual text of this provision has not been released.

The new government and the TPPA

Ø Labour, New Zealand First and the Greens all wrote dissents to the majority select committee report on the TPPA and said they would not support its ratification.

Ø Labour said the economic modelling was flawed and there must be a robust cost-benefit analysis that includes impacts on jobs and on distribution, as well as a health impact assessment. Neither report has been done for the TPPA-11.

Ø Labour now claims the new TPPA-11 meets Labour’s 5 pre-conditions for change, but it does not: it provides market access for exporters (but it has no new economic analysis of net costs and benefits); it protects the Pharmac model for buying medicines (but the provisions are suspended not removed); the Treaty of Waitangi, the sovereign right to regulate and restrictions on foreign ownership of property are all protected (which they are not, see below).

Ø Winston Peters says the TPPA-11 is a very different deal from the one NZ First opposed and they will now support it. That is not true. The ISDS provisions and core protections for foreign investors that NZ First so staunchly opposed remain the same and have not even been suspended.

Ø New Zealand’s ratification of the TPPA-11 requires another round of submissions to the parliamentary select committee on which National has 4 of the 8 members, including the chair and deputy chair.

Ø If legislation is needed to implement the agreement, National has said it will vote with Labour and NZ First. The Greens remain opposed.

Ø So the parliamentary process is a foregone conclusion.

The Treaty of Waitangi Exception

The Treaty of Waitangi exception in the TPPA is a copy of one that was drafted in 2000 for the Singapore free trade agreement (FTA).

The same exception has been rolled over in agreements since then, without any consultation with Māori, even though today’s agreements impose much greater restrictions on what governments can do.

Prime Minister Ardern says NZ ‘has an exemption that says it is always able to legislate and act to protect its obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi and that can’t be challenged by other nations’. That is not true.

Ø The Waitangi Tribunal in the TPPA claim (Wai 2522) said the Treaty exception ‘may not encompass the full extent of the Treaty relationship’ because it only covers Crown actions that give preferences to Māori, not laws or policies that apply generally but are at least partly for Treaty compliance (water, mining, fisheries).

Ø The PM said the Tribunal found the ‘exemption provides protections for the Treaty’. That is also not true. The Tribunal found no breach of Treaty principles because the exception was ‘likely’ to offer a ‘reasonable degree’ of protection for Māori. But it did not accept the Crown’s claim that ‘nothing in the TPPA will prevent the Crown from meeting its Treaty obligations to Māori’.

Ø The Tribunal was not convinced that the exception protects Crown actions from a dispute by a foreign investor, for example on water or mining.

Ø The Wai 2522 claimants made proposals for more effective protection. These have been ignored. There has been no consultation on any stronger protection.

Ø The wording of the exception hasn’t changed in other negotiations since the TPPA. Officials say that they can’t change the wording because they tell other countries they must have this wording because it’s in all NZ’s agreements. New wording would open the text for negotiation.

Ø But New Zealand got additional new wording on UPOV 1991 at the last minute in the TPPA (see below), so it’s not true the Crown can’t demand and win different wording.

Ø Labour seems to be accepting the Crown’s advice and accepting an ‘imperfect’ Treaty protection as a trade-off for other commercial benefits it sees in these deals.

The Waitangi Tribunal claim is ongoing

Ø The Waitangi Tribunal granted urgency to the TPPA (Wai-2522) claim, but limited its scope to whether the wording in the Treaty exception provided effective protection for Māori interests. It didn’t address other parts of the claim (eg water, mining, health).

Ø The Tribunal’s time for preparing its report was cut back because the National government pushed through the legislation to implement the TPPA; once the Bill was introduced the Tribunal had no jurisdiction.

Ø The Tribunal found there was a reasonable level of active protection in the Treaty exception, but suggested there should be consultation on better protection, and it kept oversight of the UPOV 1991 issue (below).

Ø The Crown wants the Tribunal process terminated. The claimants point to a lack of good faith consultation over TPPA-11 negotiations since the Tribunal’s report and issues not addressed in the urgent hearing remain.

Ø On 30 January 2018 the Tribunal asked the parties (basically the Crown) to say by mid-February (a) when the text of the new agreement would be available, (b) what its effect would be on the Crown’s engagement with Maori on the Plant Varieties regime and adopting UPOV 1991, (c) what issues in the TPPA claim remain live, and (d) ‘when would be the appropriate time for the Tribunal to commence inquiry into the remaining substantive claims that have been filed with respect of the TPPA?

WAI 262 and the UPOV 1991 convention

Ø The TPPA required NZ to adopt the UPOV 1991 Convention that creates rights to claim intellectual property rights on plant varieties, which Wai 262 report and the Cabinet have recognized is inconsistent with te Tiriti.

Ø Legal arguments from the Wai-2522 claimants showed the Treaty exception would not protect a Crown decision not to adopt UPOV 1991, because the decision only applies to a ‘preference’ to Maori. Not adopting UPOV 1991 is not a preference to Maori.

Ø The Crown convinced the other TPPA countries to adopt an annex that allows NZ to either adopt UPOV 1991 or pass a domestic law equivalent to UPOV 1991 that complies with te Tiriti. But it has to do one or the other within 3 years of the TPPA coming into force.

Ø That obligation hasn’t changed in the TPPA-11. National and Labour didn’t try to have it suspended.

Ø The Waitangi Tribunal has retained oversight of this matter and is actively monitoring it.

Ø The claimants say MBIE’s consultation process is unacceptable and have set in train their own process for expert advice and consultation.

Foreign investors’ rights

Ø The TPPA (and earlier NZ agreements) allows foreign investors from the countries involved to challenge laws, policies and decisions of a NZ government in controversial ad hoc offshore investment tribunals (known as investor-state dispute settlement or ISDS). An ISDS tribunal can award massive damages against a government for breaching special protections the agreements give to foreign investors.
PM Ardern has called ISDS a ‘dog’.

Ø The new government tried to protect NZ from ISDS in the TPPA-11, but failed.

Ø Australia signed a side-letter with NZ not to allow their investors to use ISDS against each other. But that side-letter was in the original TPPA and in other agreements. It’s not new to Labour.

Ø The new government says some other countries will sign a similar side letter, but won’t say who. Unless all the other ten countries sign side-letters, they don’t protect NZ from the risk of ISDS disputes.

Ø A provision that allowed investors to use ISDS to enforce infrastructure contracts has been suspended (not removed); but that is marginal and doesn’t change the TPPA’s special protections to foreign investors or the ISDS process through which they can enforce them.

Ø The Treaty of Waitangi exception is unlikely to protect NZ from an ISDS case over new laws to promote compliance with te Titiri.

Ø The Waitangi Tribunal noted ‘uncertainty about the extent to which ISDS may have a chilling effect on the Crown’s willingness or ability to meet particular Treaty obligations in the future or to adopt or pursue otherwise Treaty-consistent measures.’(p.50

Ø The government points to other protections for public policy measures, but those protections don’t apply to the main rules that investors rely on in ISDS disputes.

Ø The new government has instructed officials to oppose ISDS in future agreements, which is a positive move. But that doesn’t mean it will walk away if other parties insist on it. Officials are likely to advise that any new market access for agriculture is an acceptable trade-off.

Water

Ø Trade Minister David Parker says NZ First’s policy of taxing bottled water exports would breach various international agreements because it is discriminatory. But there is a much bigger risk that foreign investors could threaten to bring an ISDS dispute if moves to resolve water claims affect their commercial interests.

Ø NZ has protected the right to adopt discriminatory measures in the TPPA-11 ‘with respect to water, including the allocation, collection, treatment and distribution of drinking water’. But it says: ‘This reservation does not apply to the wholesale trade and retail of bottled mineral, aerated and natural water.’

Ø That reservation of the right to regulate on water does not apply to the main rules that investors rely on when they bring ISDS disputes against governments.

Ø The Treaty of Waitangi exception would not stop investors challenging such measures.

Ø There is a serious risk that the government would back away from a proposed solution to Māori rights over water if MFAT or an investor from a TPPA country, says the solution would breach NZ’s obligations.

Land and forestry

Ø The new government is rushing through changes to the Overseas Investment Act to restrict foreign purchases of residential housing. They admit that the law would breach the TPPA if it was passed after the agreement came into force.

Ø In January 2018 the government also sought consultation with Maori over proposals to redefine sensitive land under the Overseas Investment Act to include forestry cutting rights.

Ø The separation of cutting rights from the land was a device used by the Labour government in 1988 to allow corporatisation of the forests and separation of the land from the trees so the forests could be privatised.

Ø Labour and NZ First want to restore the right of NZ, and Maori, ownership of the forests. They have to change the foreign investment law before the TPPA comes into force, because they can’t do so afterwards.

Ø The TPPA only allows the government to keep the categories that are subject to foreign investment vetting which exists when the TPPA comes into force.

Ø The TPPA text says the vetting applies to ‘sensitive land’. If the government wants to implement its election policy, it has to rush through these changes to the law.

Ø But if the TPPA enters into force the government won’t be able to change the investment law to address other failed treaty settlements, such as fisheries quotas, or policies like carbon credits for forests.

Ø Even if changes are made to allow restrictions on future foreign investors, any existing investors from TPPA countries could still bring an ISDS dispute claiming their rights have been breached by the new laws because they can’t get as much for selling their assets as they had expected.

‘Consultation’ and tino rangatiratanga

Claimants in Te Paparahi o te Raki (Wai 1040) have challenged the Crown’s right to negotiate international treaties without the full and equal participation of nga iwi me nga hapu.

Ø The original TPPA was negotiated in total secrecy, aside from leaks. So were the meetings after the US withdrew. National was not interested in genuine consultation with anyone, let alone recognising te tino rangatiratanga o nga iwi me nga hapu. The same secrecy continues under the new government.

Ø The Waitangi Tribunal advised the Crown to consult with Māori to make the Treaty of Waitangi exception stronger. That hasn’t happened.

Labour has kept the same exception. Labour held meetings in various cities in early December and January. But this is not a good faith dialogue: they say the TPPA-11 is the best deal they can get, no further changes can be made, and they are prepared to sign it. The ‘consultation’ can’t change anything. That’s not a Treaty partnership.

The new government says it wants to develop a ‘new and inclusive trade agenda’ that makes trade and investment work for Māori, small business, women, and address climate change, environment and regional development.

That sounds positive. But the examples it gives are clip-ons to existing agreements that don’t address, let alone override, the problems the agreements create. And they are usually unenforceable.

Labour and NZ First’s positions on TPPA and te Tiriti show that it’s businesses as usual for the Crown.

They will try to shut down the Waitangi Tribunal process, while they run consultations around the motu (eg Wellington, 12 February) to promote an agreement the majority of parliamentary parties say they will support.

Other processes to advance Titiri-based continue over UPOV 1991.

Public meetings will be held in February in

Auckland on 12th,
Wellington on 14th,
Nelson on 20th,
Christchurch on 21st
and Dunedin on 22nd.

The arguments being used to promote the agreement don’t stack up for Maori or for Aotearoa/New Zealand.

The parties that make up new government promised change. If they are going to deliver, their positions on TPPA have to change.

Professor Jane Kelsey, Faculty of Law, University of Auckland, 1 February 2018
Prof Jane Kelsey
Faculty of Law
The University of Auckland
New Zealand
J.kelsey@auckland.ac.nz

 

Come along and hear experts Professor Jane Kelsey, Dr Burcu Kilic, and Laila Harre speak in Auckland and Wellington, and Professor Jane Kelsey plus other speakers in Nelson, Christchurch and Dunedin about what the TPPA-11 will mean for New Zealand.

 

Click HERE for further details of the meetings

The re-branded TPPA-11 with little changed is set to be signed in Chile on March 8th! See details of PUBLIC MEETINGS coming up

From It’s Our Future:

The TPPA-11 has had a rebranding to the CPTPPA (Comprehensive and Progressive Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement) – yet there is very little that is comprehensive or progressive about it, and very little has changed from the original TPPA.

The 11 nations that are party to the agreement will be meeting in Chile to sign the TPPA-11 on 8th March.

Come along and hear experts Professor Jane Kelsey, Dr Burcu Kilic, and Laila Harre speak in Auckland and Wellington, and Professor Jane Kelsey plus other speakers in Nelson, Christchurch and Dunedin about what the TPPA-11 will mean for New Zealand.

Event Details

Auckland:  

Monday 12 Feb, 6.30pm, Ellen Melville Centre, corner of High St and Freyberg Place, Auckland CBD
https://www.facebook.com/events/865008510327414/

Wellington: 

Tuesday 14 Feb, 6.30pm, Wesley Church, 75 Taranaki St, Wellington

https://www.facebook.com/events/1578636985577465/

Nelson: 

Tuesday 20 Feb, 7pm, Masonic Lodge, 107 Nile Street, Nelson
https://www.facebook.com/events/1387701038008990/

Christchurch:  

Wednesday 21 Feb, Knox Chruch, 28 Bealey Avenue, Christchurch
https://www.facebook.com/events/405312726576602/

Dunedin: 

Thursday, 22 Feb, Knox Chruch, 449 George St, Dunedin
https://www.facebook.com/events/987240044767300/

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE TPPA-11

 

TPPA: NZ’s Treaty obligations protected with an exemption? the PM has been ‘very badly advised’ says Prof Jane Kelsey

Video From Bryan Bruce’s TV Channel

Comment: PM Adern says: “The TPP has an exemption for NZ that says NZ is always able to legislate and act in order to preserve our obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi and that can’t be challenged by other nations”.

My personal understanding is that it is corporations not nations that will challenge anything and everything they want, and we are now all aware I’m sure of how corporations basically have nations by their short and curlies. Cold comfort really. When can we ever trust a corporation? Like never? Watch The Corporation movie & see, they tell bold faced lies and their only obligation is literally to their shareholders & nobody else. Consider this, why have all their negotiations for the TPPA been conducted in SECRET? Like all the corporate council meetings these days. They’re doing/talking stuff they don’t want you to know about. Not rocket science.  EnvirowatchRangitikei

A clip from yesterday’s filming of a crowd-funded documentary on Free Trade we are making in which Law Professor Jane Kelsey comments on a Facebook video by Prime Minister Ardern in which she assures New Zealanders that the Treaty Of Waitangi is protected from in the TPP-11 (CPTPP) Kelsey says ” the Prime Minister has been very badly advised” and Maori have much to be concerned about in this trade agreement.

Important notice re TPPA ‘consultation’ meetings by MFAT

If you want to slide something under the public radar, do it just before Christmas, a time worn tactic. Important info here on meetings being conducted around NZ on TPPA which by my recollection was a no go for the new government/corporation that let’s face it isn’t really new… please share this info from It’s Our Future       EnvirowatchRangitikei

Our Government and MFAT may think that trying to keep Auckland’s meeting under wraps, and only visiting a small amount of cities is transparent consultation, we don’t. Kia ora koutou This week David Parker and New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) are leading a series of meetings around the country to discuss the TPPA. The meetings  kicked off in Dunedin last night, Auckland tonight, Tauranga tomorrow and Hamilton on Thursday see here for more details. In collaboration with The Daily Blog, It’s Our Future is able to livestream tonight’s Auckland meeting. The meeting starts at 6pm and runs through until 7.30pm. The Daily Blog will be hosting the livestream which you will be able to find here. Please share the link out through your networks. Our Government and MFAT may think that trying to keep Auckland’s meeting under wraps, and only visiting a small amount of cities is transparent consultation, we don’t. But we think a livestream of the meeting adds a bit more transparency to the process. Nga mihi nui Chantelle Campbell It’s Our Future Co-coordinator

The TPPA is dead!

Here is It’s Our Future’s latest update on the TPPA and it’s very good news! Please share this … EnvirowatchRangitikei

The TPPA is dead After years of campaigning the TPPA is finally dead. In the aftermath of the United States election, President-elect Trump has made it clear that he intends to withdraw from the agreement on his first day in office.  Republicans and Democrats in the US House of Representatives and Congress have also stated that they will not try to push the agreement through before Trump is inaugurated on 20 January 2016. Although there was some half-hearted talk of the TPPA going ahead without US involvement at the APEC summit in Peru, there is no realistic chance of this happening.  First, as Professor Jane Kelsey has pointed out, for the TPPA to go ahead without the US would require the consent of all parties involved, including the US itself.  Any arrangement between the remaining countries would have to be renegotiated as an entirely new agreement. Secondly, the chances of this happening are close to zero as many of the TPPA countries were engaged in the negotiations in the hope of gaining increased access to the US market for their goods and services.  The Japanese Prime Minister has since written off a TPPA without the United States as “meaningless“. The death of the TPPA is a victory for the campaigners and activists who have fought the agreement in all of the potentially affected countries.  While it is Donald Trump who will formally kill the agreement in January next year, the TPPA was on its last legs long before Trump was elected.  It was the efforts of grassroots campaignersthat delayed back the negotiations so that they fell within the US election cycle, and who made the agreement a political liability for both the US political parties and for the politicians pushing the negotiations elsewhere.  In New Zealand, the civil society campaign against the TPPA has been enormous and in February this year saw the biggest protests the country has seen in many years.  In doing this we were part of the international movement that ultimately stopped the agreement in its tracks.  Thank you all for your efforts. The Trans-Pacific Partnership Amendment Bill  Despite Trump’s strong anti-TPPA position, the National-led government insisted on pushing the Trans-Pacific Partnership Amendment Bill through Parliament during the media black-out that followed the US election.  This has understandably caused alarm for some, but fortunately there is nothing to worry about. Although the TPPA implementing legislation was passed by the New Zealand Parliament, it cannot and will not come into effect unless the TPPA “comes into force for New Zealand” – see s 2 of the Bill here. The TPPA will not come into force unless ratified by countries representing 85% of the GDP covered by the agreement.  This cannot happen with the US, whose GDP vastly exceeds 15% of the GDP of TPPA countries.  For more detail, check out the excellent analysis of the implementing legislation by Professor Geddis of the Otago University law school. The National Party’s stubbornness in passing implementing legislation for a dead agreement was a wasteful exercise in futility on the Government’s part, as pointed out by new Green Party MP and former It’s Our Future Coordinator Barry Coates. What next after the TPPA? Although the TPPA is gone, there are other international agreements to be concerned about. The most immediate possible threat to the New Zealand public is the Trade in Services Agreement (“TiSA”), a proposed agreement to create restrictions on the regulation of international trade in services, particularly banking, health care and transport.  This agreement, like the TPPA, is being negotiated in secret.  There are 23 parties to the TiSA agreement, most significantly the US, the EU, and Japan.  It was rumoured that TiSA was due to be completed at a meeting of the member countries’ finance ministers in early December.  This meeting has been cancelled, however, because of both disagreement between the US and EU on certain key issues, and because it is unclear what stance the Trump administration will take on the agreement.  For now, at least, TiSA is looking shaky. A further concern is the recent announcement that New Zealand and China will renegotiate their free trade agreement.  At this stage there are few details available about the scope of the new negotiations.  We will monitor this very closely and keep you updated, particularly if there is any hint that some of the more toxic elements of the TPPA (such as ISDS) are on the table. Finally, with the TPPA dead there is some speculation that the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership negotiations (involving China and India) may become more significant. This remains to be seen. As with the US-NZ FTA and TiSA, will keep you up to date with any RCEP developments through this bulletin or on the It’s Our Future facebook page. Thank you again for your campaigning against the TPPA.  The end of the agreement is a victory for the people over corporate interests, and we should celebrate. It is, however, bitter-sweet that the end of the TPPA may be associated for some with the rise of a xenophobic and bigoted populist to the presidency of the United States.  In resisting the TPPA, we have stood against corporate power and its influence on the political process. We have also stood against the neo-liberal globalisation that has grown inequality within and between nations just as activists in the 90s and early 2000s fought against the WTO and the toxic policies of the IMF and World Bank. Rejecting these things does not mean rejecting a diverse and inclusive society, nor is it no excuse for bigotry or xenophobia. We are fortunate in New Zealand to have seen very little of this in the campaign against the TPPA and I hope there will be none in the future.While the TPPA is over, there are and will continue to be other similar agreements to monitor and to resist.  As well as being part of a coordinated international campaign, your efforts part of the tradition of resistance to unfair trade agreements and corporate power that stopped the Multilateral Agreement on Investment in 1997 and the Doha Round of the WTO in the years that followed.  This struggle will continue and we all have to remain on our toes. Kia kaha koutou, Stephen Parry It’s Our Future Coordinator Itsourfuturenz@gmail.com www.itsourfuture.org.nz

Copyright © 2016 It’s Our Future NZ, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you signed up at an event or through the itsourfuture.org.nz website.Our mailing address is: It’s Our Future NZ Auckland, New Zealand c/0 FIRST Union, 120 Church St, Onehunga Auckland, Auckland 1061 New Zealand

TPPA “Key government regards the Treaty as an inconvenience rather than as the founding document of our nation…” Prof Jane Kelsey

Bryan Bruce, one of my favourites, an award winning documentary maker and best selling author,  updates us on Prof Jane Kelsey’s comments on TPPA ‘progress’ as it relates to Aotearoa’s founding document the Tiriti o Waitangi – visit his website, “Knowledge is Power” for further articles.
EnvirowatchRangitikei

Te Tiriti o Waitangi – The Treaty of Waitangi, signed in 1840

That Incovenient Treaty Thing Again

Bryan Bruce

Professor Jane Kelsey says that the reason why the government suddenly announced it is fast-tracking the report date for the select committee considering the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) from the end of May to 4 May is now clear.

In a press statement released today she states:

“It gives the Waitangi Tribunal three rather than seven weeks to produce its urgent report on the claim brought by prominent Maori that the Agreement violates the Crown’s obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi”….

 

There’s no need for the Waitangi Tribunal to be rushed into making its decision.

As Professor Kelsey points out :

” The earliest the US Congress will consider implementing legislation is during the lame duck period after the presidential election in November.”

This shortened consideration process demonstrates ( if you were in any doubt) that the Key government regards the Treaty as an inconvenience rather than as the founding document of our nation.

And that is an insult to us all – because the thing that makes us unique in the world as a nation is that we are the people of the Treaty.

If we dishonour it – then who are we?

Read more: SOURCE

You can also read Jane Kelsey’s Press release here:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/…/government-seeking-to-stymie-repor…

 

 

 

Warning: New Zealand Government And Big Banks In Collusion For Farm Land Grab: The Same Scam As Run In The United States And Australia

March 11 2016 | From: WakeUpKiwi / Various

We are about to see the mass sell off of NZ farms. And 95% of them will go to foreigners under the TPPA- timed to perfection of course. You are now watching the United Nations Agenda 21 / Agenda 2030 bei…. Wake up. Share this information.

What you have seen happen in Auckland in the past 15-20 years was just the start- a test bed. The evidence here is irrefutable.

Related: Fonterra Drops Forecast Milk Payout

Possibly the most painful part of this will be watching all of the big bank / corporate sponsored ‘experts’ in the filthy corrupt media & Government try and explain it all away in terms of “interest rates” and “market forces”. Farmers are enticed into taking out loans at low interest rates which are then intentionally later raised, in a blatantly criminal plan to seize land. It worked in the US. Copy and paste in Australia. And now copy and paste in New Zealand.

New Zealand company Fonterra is the worlds largest dairy exporter, exporting products to over 100 countries

The truth is, it is an agenda planned even before the inception of Fonterra, specifically for this end goal – the ‘Globalization’ of our land and all of our natural resources – using rigged (Libor) interest rates, market manipulations, fake printed debt and various other financial frauds.

READ MORE

TPPA – John Key plans to push ahead with changing NZ’s laws and won’t be waiting to see if the US is going to ratify the agreement

Kennedy Graham

Yesterday in Parliament I asked the Prime Minister if he is planning to change our laws to implement the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), even before it is clear if the US Congress will ratify it.

The Prime Minister said he was going to push ahead with changing our laws and wouldn’t wait to see if the US was going to actually ratify the agreement.

If Congress doesn’t agree to the TPPA, or if the Japanese Parliament doesn’t, the whole deal falls apart. This is because the TPPA requires ratification by countries representing at least 85 percent of the total GDP, and that means the US and Japan have to be on board.

The problem is that it’s far from clear if the US Congress will ever ratify the TPPA in its current form. A majority is currently opposed. Some members are demanding further concessions for the US tobacco industry or the big pharmaceutical companies, which would be bad for New Zealand. While President Obama is supportive, none of the Democratic or Republican front-runners to replace him support the TPPA.

We could find ourselves in a lose-lose situation where we’ve changed our laws to suit the TPPA, but the TPPA itself never comes into force so the tariffs and other trade barriers don’t disappear for our exporters.

So then I asked, if the TPPA becomes null and void because the US Congress dumps it, will New Zealand reverse the changes to our laws that we’ll have already made?

The Prime Minister’s answer was no. The Government won’t delay introducing and passing legislation to ratify the TPPA, and then won’t reverse the laws if it doesn’t go ahead.

He seems to be saying that we could be left with several alarming changes to our laws, with absolutely no trade benefit in return. These include:

• Raising the threshold at which Overseas Investment Office approval is needed from $100 million to $200 million, making it easier for overseas investors to buy up our farmland and industry.
• Changing the length of copyright from 50 years to 70 years, with an annual cost of around $55 million. We’ll also need to establish new enforcement powers for Customs, and new civil and criminal penalties for copyright infringement.
• Changes to the Patents Act, which are likely to complicate Pharmac’s access to cheaper medicines.
• Changing the Plant Varieties Act, making it harder for farmers to save seeds for use in the following season, and the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Act to strengthen the rights of agricultural chemical manufacturers.
• Changes to the Tariff Act and the Customs and Excise Act – dropping our tariffs for other TPPA countries.
• Changes to the Trade Marks Act.

Thankfully, some of the most alarming aspects of the TPPA, such as the investor state dispute process that allows corporations to sue governments, don’t require legislative change. So if the TPPA does fall apart in the US Congress, we won’t have already swallowed that particular dead rat. But we will have swallowed others.

SOURCE: https://blog.greens.org.nz/2016/02/17/jumping-the-tppa-gun-could-backfire/

TPPA Updates

Bulletin #84 10 February 2016

What an amazing protest! Thanks to all who supported the protests, in Auckland and across the country, on 4thFebruary 2016. More than 15,000 people (some estimates put it as high as 30,000) marched down Queen St in one of the biggest protests in a decade. During the day, activists undertook rolling blockades of traffic across the city centre around the Sky City casino where the TPPA was signed. It has shaken the government and they are on the back foot. Despite the barrage of media spin in favour of the TPPA (especially in the Herald) we are winning the battle for public opinion. What happens next? In terms of the official process, the National Interest Analysis (a biased sell job, prepared by MFAT) has been tabled in Parliament. It’s Our Future responded calling for evidence not spin. MFAT is holding TPP Roadshows MFAT says: “The roadshows will present the outcomes of the TPP negotiations. Members of the public are welcome. The roadshows will also help businesses prepare to take advantage of new opportunities presented by TPP’s entry into force.  The morning session of each roadshow will provide an overview of TPP, and afternoon workshop sessions will have a more technical focus. ·        Auckland, 7 March, Rendezvous Hotel, corner Mayoral Drive and Vincent St, Auckland Central ·        Christchurch, 11 March, Rydges Hotel, 30 Latimer Square, Christchurch City ·        Dunedin, 14 March, The Dunedin Centre, 1 Harrop Street, Dunedin ·        Wellington, 18 March, Westpac Stadium, 105 Waterloo Quay, Pipitea, Wellington Registrations close on 1 March 2016. More roadshows will be held in other regional centres in the coming months. Locations are likely to include Hamilton, Napier, New Plymouth, Nelson, Palmerston North, Tauranga, and Whangarei. Updates will be published on this website, or you can contact tpp@mfat.govt.nz if you would like to register to be updated.” It’s Our Future will provide fact sheets and questions for those who want to attend the meetings. Waitangi Tribunal TPPA Urgency Hearings The hearings will be held on 14-18 March in Wellington. Register here. Select Committee hearings The Foreign Affairs Trade and Defence Committee of Parliament is expected to hold hearings on the TPPA in the March-April timeframe (we don’t yet know the timetable or locations for the hearings, but hopefully there will be a number of them across NZ). We are planning actions around those hearings: ·        Hold meetings in each city before the Select Committee hearings to give everyone the latest update on research and analysis ·        Debates and events are being organised in several cities ·        There may be protests linked to the hearings in some cities ·        ActionStation will be organising standard on-line submissions Parliamentary Debate After the Select Committee report and the government response, a combined bill covering eight pieces of legislation will be introduced to Parliament. This will need to be voted on by Parliament, but at present it looks as if the government has a majority (even without the threat of Labour MP Phil Goff voting for it). We will look at the potential for holding some big rallies around the Parliamentary vote. General Election in 2017 The TPPA will not come into force before 2018. This means there will be a general election in New Zealand before it is actually implemented. We need opposition parties to stand firm in rejecting the TPPA, and, if we are not able to stop it, to commit to withdrawing from it in future. We will run a campaign to let political parties know that voters want a clear NO to the TPPA! TPPA Ratifications Even if the TPPA goes through the ratification process in New Zealand, it won’t come into force until it is ratified by countries making up 85% of the combined GDP of TPPA countries. There is opposition from almost all leading candidates for the US Presidency and the TPPA is looking shaky in Congress. The new Trudeau government in Canada has undertaken to consult properly on the TPPA and warned that they may not ratify. It is possible that the TPPA will be significantly delayed, or even never implemented. For more details on the TPPA process, see the research paper authored by Jane Kelsey. Take Action against the TPPA In addition to the above actions, there are a number of campaign actions that you can take. A summary of those is on the It’s Our Future Take Action page: ·       Sign the petition to the Governor-General. Following the handover of initial signatures on a petition to the Governor-General, calling for him to withhold his assent for ratification of the TPPA, the petition has been re-launched. Please download the petition here and build pressure for him to act. ·        Sign the petition calling on the government not to ratify the TPPA. We only launched the petition a few weeks ago and it’s now up to 53,000. Please Sign Now! ·        Declare your space a TPPA Free Zone. You can declare your home, neighbourhood, community centre, school, workplace, bike or car as a TPPA Free Zone. Download signs and materials and join Facebook for ideas for action. TPPA Free Zone stickers (13cm X 10cm) are available at $35 per 100. Tony Hartnett (thartnett@ihug.co.nz) has offered to collect up orders to send to the printer. ·        Congratulations to Waiheke Local Board for becoming a TPPA Free Zone. Get involved with your Council or Local Board to declare a TPPA Free Zone.Motueka protester Greg Rzesniowiecki has been doing an amazing job in supporting Council actions, on his two year anti-TPPA roadtrip. Greg will write to all Councils in the next few days inviting them to declare their territory or region a TPPA Free Zone. There will be a new kit developed to assist activists, using the resources developed in the lobby on Waiheke, Upper Hutt and Christchurch Councils. Contact him at gregfullmoon013@gmail.com to discuss Council resolutions. ·        Target the media. The mainstream media have got away with biased reporting that has under-stated the numbers on our protests, ignored our message and disrespected protesters. Meanwhile there has been a constant barrage of government PR spin echoed by journalists. We need to build our movement on social media and through our own networks, but we also need to respond to the media with articles, letters and, where necessary, complaints. Protest events around New Zealand This is a partial list. Events have also taken place in many other centres including Nelson, Blenheim, Palmerston North, New Plymouth, Rotorua, Tauranga, Hastings, Whangarei and the hikoi, cars against the TPPA and many others. Please let me know at itsourfuturenz@gmail.comif you have news and footage of events against the TPPA in your community. Information will be updated on www.itsourfuture.org.nz. Dunedin There was a lunchtime protest outside MP Michael Woodhouse’s office, which is on a prominent intersection. Lots of tooting in support! Workers stand to lose. Christchurch Catchy youtube video on the Christchurch Council action. The action resulted in the Council agreeing to hold a workshop on a  TPPA Free Zone. And Christchurch’s Josie Butler grabbed headlines in New Zealand and internationally with her well-aimed dildo thrown at Steven Joyce! In her words. Wellington The rally for democracy and sovereignty at the Governor General Gates on 30th January delivered 4300 signatures to the Governor General’s Official Secretary, Gregory Baughen in a solemn ceremony. There was an earlier hikoi from Waitangi Park to the Governor’s gates. News reports on the fantastic Te Papa banner drop: https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/extremely-disrespectful-tpp-protesters-target-anzac-exhibition.html A ‘not-a-rent-a-crowd’ protest of around 600 gathered at Wellington’s cenotaph beside Parliament for a rally and speeches, joining the calls against TPPA signing. Raglan Hundreds (about 20% of the population) jumped from Raglan footbridge in a chain bomb, or watched, and when many signed the petition to the Governor-General. Auckland The march organised by It’s Our Future was HUGE! It was led by kapa haka groups, followed by elders and leaders from trade unions, NGOs and political parties, with a colourful array of placards and banners. The march was load, passionate and a strong signal to the government that a majority of Kiwis are against the TPPA. Check out the analysis of on-line TPPA protest activity. Earlier on, protesters organised by Real Choice surrounded Sky City where the TPPA was signed, with chanting and drums. There was a rolling blockade of intersections around Sky City and onto the motorway, joined in the afternoon by the Hikoi against the TPPA. Images from these events are posted at TPPA Images. Please add your photos and videos to the page. For more photos of the event, check out these great albums: ·        TPPA Free Zone photos by Dominic Hartnett ·        TPPA Protest photos by Kina Sai ·        TPPA Blockade photos by Pati Solomona Tyrell. ·        Anti TPPA Blockade photos by Baz Mantis Photography ·        Blockade the TPPA Signing! photos by Emily from Accompany Collective.   With the exception of John Campbell’s interviews and possibly TVNZ’s reporting , the mainstream media coverage was insulting and patronising, trawling through hours of footage to give the impression the protesters were ill-informed. As the Trade Ministers arrived on the preceding day, they were met with banners and an LCD screen as an ‘Unwelcome Committee’, with a Don’t Sign the TPPA message.ActionStation (New Zealand), Leadnow.ca (Canada) and SumofUs covertly projected visual protest images near the Auckland Sky Tower. The Artists Collective put on a music event, the protestival in the weekend before the signing. Waitangi Strong opposition convinced the Prime Minister not to attend Waitangi Day events, but other political parties took the opportunity to send a strong anti-TPPA message. International Our New Zealand protests were part of a global protest with events taking place across most of the 12 TPPA countries (eg. Chile takes to the streets), and 250,000 people in Germany against the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). Research and Fact Sheets Five research papers have now been published on the TPP Legal website, onParliamentary process, Investment, te Tiriti, Environment, and the Economics of the TPPA. Others on Internet/IP and Local Government will follow soon. A simple flyer with a summary of the key facts on a double side A4 is here. Copy it and share it far and wide. ActionStation has launched a new series of Fact Sheets on different aspects of the TPPA. Funding the campaign We launched a Give a Little page to fund the speaker tour and ongoing campaigning. Please donate generously. Thanks for your amazing campaigning. The past few weeks have changed politics in our country. Now it’s time for us to ramp up the pressure! Kia kaha! Barry Coates It’s Our Future spokesperson itsourfuturenz@gmail.com

Copyright © 2016 It’s Our Future NZ, All rights reserved.

TPPA – John Campbell’s real reporting on Ak’s 4th Feb protest + more video footage

 

Published on Feb 3, 2016  RNZ 

---

Twelve nations met on February 4 to sign the TPP agreement – Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the U.S. and Vietnam – one by one, in alphabetical order.Outside the SkyCity convention centre, a protest of as many as 10,000 people raged on, with people coming together to express their views.John Campbell asked them why they were there.

---

A plug for John Campbell here who I’m convinced was ditched by TV3 because he was, unlike most mainstream media, vigilant in exposing lies. Broadcasting truth. Refreshing to see him again with more real journalism. Genuine journos are as rare as hens teeth now with the media owned by a mere six corporations.

EnvirowatchRangitikei

---

 

Maori Protest

HS videos

Dan Woodfield

See who else is opposed to the TPPA & why you’re not hearing about it

Photo credit: Action Station

Our mainstream media is carefully conveying the impression that those opposed to the TPPA are a rag tag bunch of trouble stirrers (all 32,000 of them) who are anti trade. Not so. What folks are most anti on is that the whole deal has been negotiated in SECRET. And see the map above of the many other nations that protested. Mainstream media is doing its best to shape up a bad public perception of any opposition to this trade agreement. On the 4th, the day of the protest here in NZ, the Herald invited comments to their Facebook page and bloggers found (myself included, and not for the first time) that all comments were blocked, as also was the option to share their info. They relented eventually, published a few comments then closed it to further discussion. Six media giants now own 90% of our media, controlling what we read, watch or listen to. Still think we have a democracy?

See here a list of notable people and organizations who are also against the signing. Our own Dr Jane Kelsey for one, and US Senator Elizabeth Warren is yet another (but hang what would these women know about it?) and in Germany a quarter of a million folks marched there against O’Bama’s Free Trade Agreement. And Key calls us ‘rent-a-crowd’! We are being conned folks!

EnvirowatchRangitikei

Kelsey wants opponents to keep fighting the TPPA, ‘NZ opposition strongest of anywhere’

Paul Henry interviews Prof Jane Kelsey 
[VIDEO AT SOURCE]

newshub.co.nz  Although the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement is being signed today, there’s still a long way to go before it becomes set in stone.

Auckland University Professor of Law Jane Kelsey an ardent opponent of the deal says it’s important that protesters keep letting the Government know they are unhappy with it.

“The Government has turned a deaf ear not just to the analytical work that we’ve done, but to the views of people throughout the country,” Dr Kelsey told the Paul Henry programme this morning. “We’ve had big protests, as you know, peaceful protests, family-friendly protests throughout the country over the last couple of years… people saying again ‘Don’t sign, we don’t want this deal’.”

As a small country, New Zealand’s fate will be particularly influenced by the deal, she says.

“For us it does make a difference and from what I hear from people internationally, the opposition in New Zealand is the strongest of anywhere.”

And even though pen is being put to paper today, there is still a lot more work to be done before the deal is pushed through.

“What the Government is going to sign today, and it will sign it no matter what people say, is not going to be the end of the deal because the current text cannot get through the US Congress,” says Dr Kelsey.

Read more: http://www.newshub.co.nz/tvshows/paulhenry/kelsey-wants-opponents-to-keep-fighting-2016020412#ixzz3zFvxX07J

US Senator Elizabeth Warren urges colleagues to reject the TPP

Senator Elizabeth Warren   Published on Feb 2, 2016 

Senator Elizabeth Warren spoke on the Senate floor on February 2, 2016 about the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement.

Just one of the reasons she offers is that it will tilt the playing field in favour of big multi national corporations.

EnvirowatchRangitikei 

As US Signs TPP In New Zealand, protesters also gather in 7 countries & 38 US cities!

With a massive turnout yesterday of some 32,000 protesters NZ wide, 25,000 in Auckland alone, clearly there is massive opposition to the TPPA. It’s not over yet.

Additionally, we are left to the impression given by mainstream, corporate, offshore media, that we are the only ones protesting against this deal that’s been composed in secret, without consultation with either Iwi, NZ’s Treaty partners, or the general public. We are expected to trust these people? NZ has just slipped on the corruption scale I read recently – it’s not the Pollyanna, squeaky clean nation many thought it was.

So here is evidence of protests beyond our shores, in collaboration with the world-wide opposition that is rising against this corporate robbery of our sovereignty, in the name of profits and world control.

EnvirowatchRangitikei

---

 

Protests in 38 US cities and 7 Countries

Cities/regions where protests occurred against the TPPA/TPP  (Map courtesy of Flush the TPP)

“White House Protest Kicks off Nationwide Days of Action in 38 US Cities Protests Also Held In Seven Countries

By Flush the TPP.

Washington, DC – As the US Trade Representative signs the TransPacific Partnership on behalf of President Obama at the Skyland Casino in New Zealand on the evening of February  3^rd (Eastern US time), protests are happening across the United States and around the world. See map of protests http://www.flushthetpp.org/actions/.

Several hours before the signing TPP opponents in Washington DC protested at the White House with a 24 foot “TPP is Betrayal” banner and other signs that visually highlighted the negative impacts of the TPP on the economy, environment and workers…”

 

Read More: http://www.flushthetpp.org/protest-at-white-house-kicks-off-nationwide-days-of-action/

 

 

John Key is a shareholder in the Bank of America – Major conflict of interest with the TPPA

John Key is a shareholder of the Bank of America (page 29 of 2015 register of financial interests for MPs) a major conflict of interest

Some interesting facts here on the conflicts of interest not only with PM Key but Tim Groser also. An interview by Vinny Eastwood with activists Penny Bright and Jacquelyne Taylor. The TPPA’s just been signed today (4/2/16) by Key, with 25,000 peaceful protesters in Auckland alone, so it’s not over yet. See what has yet to happen:

From the Daily Blog:

“Here is the step by step legislative process the Government need to undertake now Key has signed the TPPA…

Text and National Interest Analysis are tabled in Parliament

Text and National Interest Analysis are referred to Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Committee

Executive can ratify TPPA after the select committee reports or 15 sitting days elapse, whichever is earlier.

If legislative change is required to comply with TPPA the Executive will not normally ratify until the legislation is passed

Select committee can elect to hear submissions on TPPA

Select committee reports to Parliament

Parliament may decide to debate the select committee report

Parliament may decide to vote on the TPPA

Executive must report its response to any select committee recommendations within 90 days

Any legislative changes required to bring NZ into compliance with TPPA are introduced in a Bill

The Bill follows standard parliamentary process, normally including submissions

Executive ratifies the Agreement at a time of its choosing, normally after the Bill is passed

NZ notifies the TPPA repository (NZ) that its domestic processes are complete

TPPA comes into force when required number of parties notify completion of domestic processes”

Comrades, brothers and sisters, we can fight this abomination every step of the way, and with 25 000 turning up in Auckland alone, we have the numbers to fight this and slow it down.”

See more at: http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/02/04/breaking-after-massive-show-of-force-john-key-too-frightened-to-go-to-waitangi-day/?utm_content=bufferee1d8&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer#sthash.SNvNWmms.dpuf-

 

TPPA – 25 000 people protesting in Auckland today, Key now declining to go to Waitangi & what’s next with TPPA

BREAKING : After massive show of Force – John Key too frightened to go to Waitangi Day

By Martyn Bradbury  /   February 4, 2016

“The huge turn out has spooked the Prime Minister from attending Waitangi Day. To try and rob NZers of our sovereignty 2 days before Waitangi and then refusing to turn up because your too frightened by the reaction is gutless and cowardly. 25 000 people protesting in Auckland alone, shutting down the Harbour Bridge and major motorways for hours so that Auckland City was jammed solid…”

“No violence, just well targeted attack on the infrastructure. Police didn’t see it coming, and were over whelmed. Congratulations to Jane for her tireless leadership, all the usual leaders and planners and the new leadership team who ran the blockade.”

Here is the step by step legislative process the Government need to undertake now Key has signed the TPPA…

Text and National Interest Analysis are tabled in Parliament

Text and National Interest Analysis are referred to Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Committee

Executive can ratify TPPA after the select committee reports or 15 sitting days elapse, whichever is earlier.

If legislative change is required to comply with TPPA the Executive will not normally ratify until the legislation is passed

Select committee can elect to hear submissions on TPPA

Select committee reports to Parliament

Parliament may decide to debate the select committee report

Parliament may decide to vote on the TPPA

Executive must report its response to any select committee recommendations within 90 days

Any legislative changes required to bring NZ into compliance with TPPA are introduced in a Bill

The Bill follows standard parliamentary process, normally including submissions

Executive ratifies the Agreement at a time of its choosing, normally after the Bill is passed

NZ notifies the TPPA repository (NZ) that its domestic processes are complete

TPPA comes into force when required number of parties notify completion of domestic processes”

Comrades, brothers and sisters, we can fight this abomination every step of the way, and with 25 000 turning up in Auckland alone, we have the numbers to fight this and slow it down.

See more at: http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/02/04/breaking-after-massive-show-of-force-john-key-too-frightened-to-go-to-waitangi-day/?utm_content=bufferee1d8&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer#sthash.SNvNWmms.dpuf-

 

EnvirowatchRangitikei

TPPA It’s Our Future Update

From itsourfuture email bulletin

The campaign is building and the government is sounding more and more desperate. Across New Zealand members of the public are waking up to the dangers of the TPPA. The Don’t Sign speakers tour and campaign actions have mobilised and informed supporters. Now, with a few days before signing, we need to ramp up the pressure. Events coming up soon Up to date information is on www.itsourfuture.org.nz. Please let me know if there are any events to add at itsourfuturenz@gmail.com. Auckland 3 February: We welcome visitors from outside Auckland and will hold a meeting on Wednesday evening. Meeting place to be advised. Please let us know if you are involved in organising TPPA actions in your community and you are coming to Auckland at itsourfuturenz@gmail.com. 3 February: There will be an Unwelcome to Auckland protest at Auckland airport for the Trade Ministers and their entourages arriving in Auckland, with banners, chants and a message that we don’t want them to sign the TPPA. Details will be posted on our website closer to the time. Let us know if you want to participate. 4 February at 12pm: Assemble at Aotea Square (Queen St side). Join the TPPA Don’t Sign march down Queen St. We invite the people of Aotearoa to join us in protest against the TPPA. This will be a family friendly event! Children and elderly will be present on the day and their safety is paramount. This will be BIG. Now is the time to unite and take a STAND! 4 February: The Trade Ministers will meet at Sky City (although they might not sign the TPPA there). There will be civil disobedience happening around Sky City. We request that any group who does so respects the principles of non-violence and does not damage the property of citizens. We have huge support from the public for the campaign and the media will be looking for photos and stories to discredit our movement. Hikoi The hikoi will assemble at Te Rerenga Wairua on February 1, travel through Kaitaia, Moerewa and Whangarei and will head for Auckland to protest the signing of the TPPA at Sky City on February 4 and participate in the march down Queen St at 12 midday. The hikoi will then return to Northland for the traditional welcome on to Te Tii Marae on February 5 and the march on to the Treaty Grounds on Waitangi Day. More details at Hikoi. Waitangi There will be actions against the TPPA in Waitangi and it is clear that the governmentis not welcome at Waitangi if they sign. There will be protests against the TPPA. The message is that all people are welcomed to join on 4-6 February. Bring your tents as accommodation will be at a premium, and please bring their flags and banners. Raglan 1 Feb at 4pm: Raglan footbridge at Raglan beach, join the ‪#TPPAfreeZoneChallenge. Whakatane 4 Feb at 8am: Information centre, walk to the Council office. Tauranga Actions will be at TPPA Tauranga FB page. Hastings 4 February at 5pm: Hastings Town Clock: Anti-TPPA rally. Taupo 4 February at 10am: Rally at Tongariro Domain. See Facebook event. Wellington 4 February at 12 midday: Rally for Democracy and Sovereignty – assemble at the Cenotaph outside Parliament with banners, cardboard heads of government Ministers and speeches. Lunchtime. More info on Wellington actions at TPPA Wellington FB page. Christchurch 4 February at 12.30pm: Declare ChCh TPP Free at Christchurch City Council, 53 Hereford St. More info on events at TPPA Christchurch FB page. Dunedin Info on events at TPPA Action Dunedin FB page.   The Campaign continues   They will succeed in signing the TPPA (they could do it by Email if they had to), but we will make it clear that the New Zealand public rejects the TPPA. The campaign will continue.   Governments still need to ratify the TPPA and that is looking very shaky in the US and in Canada. It is likely to be several years before ratification (if ever). This means we will be able to make the TPPA a crucial issue in the next New Zealand election.   There will be Waitangi Tribunal hearings in March. Legal experts have mounted a strong case exposing the weakness of the so-called ‘exception’ for the Treaty in the TPPA.   We will be targeting opposition political parties to strengthen their commitments to reject the TPPA, building a strong campaign around Parliamentary process to ratify the TPPA (including Select Committee hearings), winning the arguments through research and fact sheets, doing a speakers’ tour around New Zealand and getting to over 100,000 signatures on our petition. We will raise the stakes on TPPA for the election and we will defeat the TPPA, just as we have previously defeated previous attempts to get pro-corporates rights in international treaties. The campaigning ramps up from now on!   TPPA Free Zone   Congratulations to Waiheke for becoming a TPPA Free Zone (thanks Local Board rep Shirin Brown and others), along with the Octagon, Auckland Town Hall, venues across New Zealand, homes, workplaces etc. Take action and declare your community or personal space a TPPA Free Zone. See links at Facebook and Website for downloadable materials and ideas for action.   Campaign Round up Events have already taken place in many other centres including Dunedin, Christchurch, Nelson, Blenheim, Palmerston North, 6 events in Wellington, New Plymouth and Rotorua cars against the TPPA, Auckland and many others. Let us know at itsourfuturenz@gmail.com if you’ve had a ‘Don’t Sign TPPA’ event. There’s no space for a full round up of the great campaigns undertaken over the past week, but here are a few highlights. Handover of the petition to the Governor-General: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3t1TIIgrIA&feature=youtu.be http://www.3news.co.nz/politics/large-protests-in-lead-up-to-tpp-signing-2016013013#axzz3yl09zkba Dunedin declared the Octagon TPP Free with around 400 people, music, speeches and poetry http://www.dunedintv.co.nz/interview/nightly-interview-jen-olsen-1 Christchurch mourned the death of democracy at a rally with over 1500 peoplehttp://www.stuff.co.nz/national/76413819/democracy-buried-at-antitppa-protest-in-christchurch Several hundred protestors marched down Nelson’s main streethttp://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/76416320/Police-thwart-TPPA-protesters-attempt-to-chain-off-Nelsons-main-street Lori Wallach and Jane Kelsey: Don’t sign speaking tour 26-29 January Thanks to everyone who helped organise events for the Don’t Sign speaker tour. Auckland Town Hall had an audience of around 900, then Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin were packed out. It has helped to lick the campaign up a level. Thanks especially to Lori Wallach for making it over to New Zealand at an incredibly busy time in US political lobbying, and huge thanks to Jane Kelsey who made it happen. Sign the petition(s) The Don’t Sign petition is close to 50,000. The petition will be kept open during ratification so sign now and we will push it up to 100,000.http://www.actionstation.org.nz/dontsign After declaring itself to be opposed to the TPPA (eventually backed by all MPs except for Phil Goff), Labour launched a petition against the TPPA with a target of 50,000. It has been reached in a week! They must have been surprised. Labour petition Funding the campaign We launched a Give a Little page to fund the speaker tour and ongoing campaigning. Please donate generously.  We acknowledge the generous support of individuals and organisations for the speaker tour:  It’s Our Future; First Union; Public Service Association (PSA); and theCouncil of Trade Unions (CTU). If you have other fundraising suggestions, contact Barry Coates at itsourfuturenz@gmail.com. Now is a good time to donate! Research We are winning the arguments and exposing the government spin on the TPPA. If you want to find out more, visit TPPA research. There are expert, peer-reviewed research papers on: ·        The Parliamentary process ·        Investment ·        Te Tiriti ·        Environment ·        The Economics of the TPPA Also see facts sheets at our partner ActionStation TPPA facts.   Thanks to all for your fantastic campaigning. Kia kaha! Barry Coates, It’s Our Future spokesperson

Copyright © 2016 It’s Our Future NZ, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you signed up at an event or through the itsourfuture.org.nz website.

TPPA – A “Family-friendly … Non-violent” March Planned for the 4th Feb

“It’s Our Future will hold a march down Queen St on Thursday 4th February. It will be loud, colourful, family-friendly and inclusive of all those who oppose the signing of the TPPA. It will be a symbol of the massive public opposition to the Key government signing the TPPA.

“Hosting the signing of the TPPA at Sky City just before Waitangi Day is a calculated move by the government, presumably with the goal of inciting violence and attempting to discredit the huge campaign against the TPPA”, says spokesperson for Its Our Future, Barry Coates.

“The Key government could have chosen a venue that would have been easy to secure and less of a symbolic target,” Coates said. “By announcing riot training for police, specifically targeted at the Sky City signing, the government has ramped up the level of provocation to opponents of the deal.”

“It’s Our Future, the network organising the main campaign against the TPPA, is not buying into the government’s game plan. We will hold a loud and passionate march down Queen St on 4 February 2016 continuing our kaupapa of family-friendly protest and non-violence.”….”

Read More: http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/01/27/tppa-march-will-be-inclusive-of-all-its-our-future/?utm_content=buffer6e246&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

TPPA EXCLUSIVE: An open invitation from Professor Jane Kelsey

By Prof Jane Kelsey

(The Daily Blog) Ever heard Lori Wallach talk about the stark realities of US politics on the TPPA? If you have, you won’t want to miss her again! If you haven’t, this is a once in a lifetime chance to hear her on how the US and its corporate lobby stitched us up, and sold out ordinary Americans as well. (for Lori’s bio – see here)

Can the US Congress stop the deal? Will the US Congress stop the deal?

What happens if Hillary Clinton wins the presidency? Or Donald Trump (assuming that is worse … which it has to be)

Are US politicians serious that they will rewrite the deal after it is signed by setting rules for ‘implementation’? What would that mean for Kiwis?

Lori is arriving Tuesday morning for a speaking tour starting Tuesday night 7pm at the Auckland Town Hall in the lead-up to the planned signing in Auckland on 4 February. Then off around the country to Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin in a whirlwind tour. Sponsors (so far) are Its Our Future, ActionStation, and New Zealand Council of Trade Unions, as well as great local anti-TPPA groups.

– See more at: http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/01/23/exclusive-an-open-invitation-from-professor-jane-kelsey/#sthash.pOtZciOo.dpuf

EnvirowatchRangitikei

Ahead of TPP signing: NZ Police have been undertaking riot training … we are not a democracy

So… ahead of the TPP signing on February 4th coming up, we have our corrupt government/corporation ensuring any dissenters to this closing of a secret deal get smartly rapped over the knuckles! or other parts of the body … we have the appearance here of Police State beginnings as per the US of A. The initiators of the said ‘agreement’.

Bryan Bruce has summarized this news item so aptly:

“Negotiate the TPPA deal in secret.

• Refuse to listen to legitimate concerns about the undemocratic process.

• Produce a document that allows multi-national corporations to override our health,environment,employment and copyright laws.

• Invite the co- conspirators to our country to sign the deal close to Waitangi Day ( when we celebrate the founding Treaty of our nation – now seriously undermined by the TPPA).

• Hold the signing in a Casino and not Parliament.

• Bring out the riot squad if anyone objects.

Brilliant.

P.S. Oh- and while your at it , make sure you fly that new corporate logo flag on the day the foreign trade ministers get here. We don’t want people looking at our current flag and wondering what happened to the rule of law.” (SOURCE)

Bryan Bruce is an award winning documentary maker and author. You can visit his website here: http://bryanbruce.co.nz/news  See his award winning docos  ‘Inside Child Poverty’ and ‘Mind The Gap’. Links on his website.

---

 

Read the Herald article:

TPP: Police undertake riot training

New Zealand Police have been undertaking mass riot training ahead of the signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership in Auckland next month.

The trade agreement, that has sparked widespread controversy due to its closed-door negotiations, will be signed by international diplomats on February 4.

Dozens of large-scale protests have been held across the country as the five years of negotiations for the deal came to a close in the US last year.

The Herald understands that increased riot training – officially known as public order training – has been taking place ahead of the signing, as police prepare for more possible civil unrest.

Police Association vice-president Senior Sergeant Luke Shadbolt said that the TPP signing was the focus of annual public order training.

Read More: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11578174

For info and links on the TPPA: https://envirowatchrangitikei.wordpress.com/tppa/

---

 

EnvirowatchRangitikei

Important TPPA Updates

From itsourfuture website’s bulletin Bulletin #82 20 January 2016 TPPA signing Auckland, 4 February The secrecy-obsessed New Zealand government finally admitted that the signing would take place in Auckland but still hasn’t confirmed the date (although Chile and Peru governments did) or a location, although it almost certainly won’t be at Sky City as previously rumoured. Apparently the delay in confirming a date is because some governments (possibly Canada, Japan, Malaysia) haven’t fulfilled their pre-signing procedures – neither has New Zealand. The lack of a democratic mandate isn’t holding our government back. Hopefully several TPPA nations may decide not to sign. The signing is largely symbolic but governments will try to use it as an opportunity to talk up the TPPA in the media. It will be signed by Trade Ministers (Todd McClay has replaced Tim Groser – we don’t yet know whether Groser will be there). Whatever happens the campaign is not over! This is not the final step by any means. The TPPA still needs to be ratified in NZ and opposition is growing in the US. There is more campaigning coming up. See TPPA campaign overview, democracy vs TPPA blog. Lori Wallach and Jane Kelsey: Don’t sign speaking tour 26-29 January In the lead-up to the signing, leading US critic of the TPPA and the most knowledgeable person about what’s happening in Washington, Lori Wallach the Director of Public Citizen Global Trade Watch, will join TPPA expert Jane Kelsey for a short speakers’ tour. See It’s Our Future website for downloadable posters. Lori and Jane Kelsey will speak at: ·       Auckland Town Hall on 26th January at 7pm – with a political panel including Andrew Little (Labour) tbc, Metiria Turei (Greens), Fletcher Tabuteau (NZ First) and Marama Fox (Maori Party). ·       Wellington, St Andrews Centre on the Terrace on 27th at 7pm ·       Christchurch Cardboard Cathedral on 28th at 7pm ·       Dunedin at Burns Hall, Moray Place on 29th at 7pm These events will be free, with a donation requested. Arrive early, because it’s first come, first in the door, and we are going to try to fill these venues!! Funding the campaign Our Give a Little page to help fund the TPPA campaign page is now live. Please donate generously  because we have no money at present and we are incurring big costs for the campaign (around $10,000 for the Auckland Town Hall meeting alone). This account will support the costs of these events and ongoing campaign actions over the next few months. If you have other fundraising suggestions, contact Barry Coates at itsourfuturenz@gmail.com. We acknowledge the generous support of individuals and organisations and will include a list of those in the next Bulletin. So please let them know that now’s a good time to donate! Events coming up A round up of events over the next few weeks follows. This isn’t all of them because many are still being planned. The list will be updated in the next Bulletin. Send details to Chantelle Campbell at itsourfuturenz@gmail.com. Dunedin 29 January at 7pm: Don’t Sign Tour: Lori Wallach and Jane Kelsey at Burns Hall, Moray Place. Free event, donations please. 30 January at 12=2.30pm: Rally to declare the Octagon a TPP Free Zone with a range of different groups joining together in activities, speakers and music. More info on events at TPPA Action Dunedin FB page. Christchurch 20 January 12-1.30pm: Save City Care, Keep Our Assets Picket at City Council Building, Worcester Boulevard Entrance. 28 January at 7pm: Don’t sign tour at Christchurch cardboard cathedral. 30 January at 2pm: Reject the TPPA rally at Cathedral square. 4 February at 12.30pm: Declare ChCh TPP Free at Christchurch City Council, 53 Hereford St More info on events at TPPA Christchurch FB page. Wellington 19-28 January: There are a series of local meetings coming up: ·       19/1 Newtown ·       20/1 Johnsonville ·       21/1 Lower Hutt ·       23/1 Otaki ·       26/1 Wainuiomata ·       28/1 Upper Hutt 27 January at 7pm: Don’t sign tour – Lori Wallach and Jane Kelsey at St Andrews Centre, The Terrace. Free event, donations please. 30 January at 1pm: assemble at the Governor-General’s residence for a handover of the petition. Details to come. 4 February lunchtime: assemble at the Cenotaph outside Parliament with banners, cardboard heads of government Ministers and speeches. Details to come. More info on Wellington actions at TPPA Wellington FB page. New Plymouth 30 January at 1pm: Puke Ariki Landing, 1 Ariki St. TPPA picnic to launch a week of action with speakers and petitions. Tauranga See car protest below, and other actions will be at TPPA Tauranga FB page. Raglan 1 Feb at 4pm: Raglan footbridge at Raglan beach, join the ‪#TPPAfreeZoneChallenge. Hamilton 23 January at 12-2pm: Rally at Base Shopping Centre, Te Rapa Rd. Auckland 26 January at 7pm: Don’t sign tour at Auckland Town Hall. As well as our keynote speakers there will be a political panel with Andrew Little (Labour) tbc, Metiria Turei (Greens), Fletcher Tabuteau (NZ First) and Marama Fox (Maori Party). 31 January all day (tbc): There will be a Protestival all day in an Auckland park. This will be a peaceful, family friendly event with music, speeches (not too many), stalls, workshops, NVDA training and event planning. Details to be advised in the next Bulletin. All welcome. 3 February: We welcome visitors from outside Auckland and will hold a meeting to discuss plans for the events coming up. Time and venue to be advised. 3 February: There will be an Unwelcome to Auckland protest at Auckland airport for the Trade Ministers and their entourages arriving in Auckland, with banners, chants and a message that we don’t want them to sign the TPPA. 4 February at 12pm: Join the TPPA Don’t Sign march down Queen St. Lunchtime campaigners can then peel off and the rest of us will join others at our campaign base in nearby Victoria Park for music, speeches and campaign news. 4 February: We don’t know the venue for the meeting but there may be people who will want to go there to occupy the venue or block access. There may also be other civil disobedience happening around the signing. We request that any group who does so respects the principles of non-violence and does not damage the property of citizens. We have huge support from the public for the campaign and the media will be looking for photos and stories to discredit our movement. We will try to organise billets for visitors in homes and on a marae. Please Email itsourfuturenz@gmail.com if you want accommodation. Waitangi There will be actions against the TPPA in Waitangi and it is clear that the government is not welcome at Waitangi if they sign. Nationwide 30 January at 10pm: Check out the fantastic Cars against the TPPA protests that are happening in Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland, Palmerston North, Hamilton, Tauranga, Auckland and Whangarei. Local Action Take action in your community. Declare your community or workplace a TPPA Free Zone. Call on Councils to take action through the TPPA Policy Solution based on Auckland and Wellington District Council resolutions. ‘Don’t sign’ Petition The Don’t sign petition is up to 33,000 signatures after one week. Thanks to our friends at ActionStation for hosting. Spread it far and wide. We need to let the government (and the media) know that the is no democratic mandate to sign the TPPA. Let’s aim for 100,000 signatures by the time of signing. Petition to the Governor General The petition to the Governor General to exercise his powers to prevent the government from signing the TPPA is getting out there. Please volunteer to collect signatures. The petition has gained visibility and support from a Bryan Gould article showing the tight government control of public accountability mechanisms. Research and Fact sheets This is going to be a big week for our research information. The expert peer-reviewed research papers are being launched this week for the Environment, te Tiriti and Economics of the TPPA. There’s lots of good info in there so please visit the TPP Legal website. The latest information across all the issues in the final TPPA text is in the Key Issues paper. Media Articles: Updates in the next Bulletin.

TPPA – important notices & dates for upcoming events

PLEASE SHARE THIS IMPORTANT INFORMATION!

Things are warming up on the TPPA front with plans by the powers that be to sign on 4th February and it’s rumoured … at the Skytower. They will be keeping that under wraps for sure. I’m just mailing out the public notices regarding events from FB who have asked folks to share. Likewise do share these notices, email to your friends, tell the neighbours. The more on board the better. There are NZ wide meetings you may consider attending if possible. For further updates here go to the TPPA news page. Do please let me know if I’ve missed anything or if there’s anything you’d like shared, either here or on FB if you’re not a member.  EnvirowatchRangitikei

A blogger writes … “So as some of you may or may not be aware. Our country is about to be sold on February 4th. Informers from Chile say the signing of the TPPA will be held here @ the skytower in Auckland New Zealand. When it is signed, our basic human rights will be stripped of us! They will sell the land, our home to foreign countries, more mining, water and air rates, prohibited to grow your own organics, loom seeds will be banned, prohibited to live off grid, not allowed to feed and clothe homeless, or to help poverty, etc etc.. as if they want to decrease population and destroy our mother earth sooner..shit that’s in humane! NZ citizens are calling for a march larger than ever. If you care about your children’s future, seek out sources for more info. And take one last stand!

Even though the TPPA may commence…as Tangatawhenua, we have to live trying to prevent such events, in respect of our forefathers who dedicated their lives for our current slice of freedom. And also regarding the future of our Pepe’s…please don’t ignore this.”  SOURCE

---

IMPORTANT MEETINGS COMING UP

(SOURCE)

---

(SOURCE)

---

THE UPRISING 2016 HIKOI against the TPPA. 11am FEB 4 Lower Queen St – Myers Park / Sky City. Nau mai Haere mai e nga iwi o te motu
LIKE&SHARE
GET THE WORD OUT
UNITED WE STAND DIVIDED WE FALL!!.
(SOURCE)

---

 

TPPA – ItsOurFuture latest updates for Kiwis

Updates from itsourfuture.org.nz : this is the site’s newsletter

 

It’s Our Future: TPPA News Bulletin #81 11 January 2016 In this Bulletin: TPPA signing Auckland, 4 February Auckland Actions for 4 February Other actions around Aotearoa NZ Lori Wallach & Jane Kelsey speaking tour 26-29 January ‘Don’t sign’ Petition to PM to be launched tomorrow Fact Sheets Expert Papers Labour Party position Media Articles TPPA Latest TPPA signing Auckland, 4 February Rumours that TPPA ministers will sign the deal in NZ on 4 Feb were confirmed by Chile’s officials, although the government still says it’s not settled. Other reports confirm it will be in Auckland (as Fran O’Sullivan said back on 9 Dec), but MFAT hasn’t told people where. It’s NOT likely to be Sky City, which hosted the big meetings. This will be a small select ‘celebration’, probably somewhere with tight security. The signing is largely symbolic but governments will try to use it as an opportunity to talk up the TPPA in the media. It will be signed by Trade Ministers (Todd McClay has replaced Tim Groser – we don’t yet know whether Groser will be there). Rumours in the media that “US President Barack Obama lines up NZ visit” in order to thank the New Zealand government for pushing the TPPA deal look like a classic case of PR spin. Latest is that the Government denies the report saying “there are no plans in place for that to happen at this stage”. Auckland Actions for 4 February Auckland people will meet on Tuesday 12 January to talk about actions around the signing. The signing will be on a weekday, with Anniversary weekend before and Waitangi Day weekend after. We know people are anxious to get things moving, but please coordinate with others so that we don’t create confusion with multiple Auckland events. We will put out another Bulletin next week with more specific plans. Other actions around Aotearoa NZ Groups are already planning for activities leading up to 4 February. Chantelle Campbell will provide support and coordination for regional activity coordinators chantellec@xtra.co.nz Lori Wallach & Jane Kelsey speaking tour 26-29 January In the lead-up to the signing, leading US critic of the TPPA and the most knowledgeable person about what’s happening in Washington, Lori Wallach the Director of Public Citizen Global Trade Watch, will be doing a short speaking tour. Advertising will be available shortly. Lori and Jane Kelsey will speak at: Auckland Town Hall on 26th January at 7pm Wellington St Andrews on the Terrace on 27th (time TBA) Christchurch on 28th at Cardboard Cathedral at 7pm Dunedin 29th (time and venue TBA). These events will be free, with a donation requested. A Give a Little page is being set up to support the costs of these events and ongoing campaign actions over the next few weeks and the months. In the meantime, if you have fundraising suggestions, contact Barry Coates barrycoatesnz@yahoo.com ‘Don’t sign’ Petition to PM to be launched tomorrow Action Station is hosting a simple petition to the PM to tell the government not to sell us out and not to sign. That will be launched on 12th January. A separate communication will come out through email, Facebook and twitter tomorrow. Please circulate it everywhere. Fact sheets Simple fact sheets with updated information on the text will be available shortly. Apologies that the current fact sheets on the website are out of date – we will let you know when the new fact sheets are posted. The updating will be part of a website update and re-vamp taking place soon. The latest information on the TPPA text is in the Key Issues paper on the website. Expert papers For people wanting to understand the details of the TPPA text, there are New Zealand specific expert peer reviewed papers now available. These cover the Process (including what happens after the signing in NZ) and Investment rules. Papers on the Treaty of Waitangi, Environment and the Economics of the TPPA will be posted shortly. Other expert analyses from offshore can be accessed on the TPPLegal website. Labour Party position Andrew Little has stated that a Labour Government would “defy the TPPA” if it conflicted with national sovereignty. He referred specifically to overseas ownership of residential property, so it is not clear whether this means that Labour would vote against the TPPA is there is a vote in Parliament. His Radio New Zealand interview is at http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/summerreport/audio/201785059/labour-says-it-will-defy-tpp The Green Party, New Zealand First and the Maori Party have reiterated their opposition to the TPPA. Media Articles: Dr Joshua Freeman, Dr Hayley Bennet: TPPA could trump climate accord http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11567925 A huge US$15 billion ISDS claim has been lodged by TransCanada against the US over Obama’s decision to refuse permission for construction of the KeystoneXL pipeline from the Albert tar sands projects: This case is a real test for whether governments can take action on climate change, Press coverage includes: NZ Herald http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11571180 and http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11570574 The Corporation Behind Keystone XL Just Laid Bare the TPP’s Threats to Our Climate: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ben-beachy/the-corporation-behind-ke_b_8931802.html TransCanada, This is What Democracy Looks Like: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/courtenay-lewis/transcanada-this-is-what_b_8940640.html Keystone XL rejection leads TransCanada to sue Obama administration: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/transcanada-lawsuit-keystone-xl-pipeline-1.3392446 An interview with Lori Wallach on this case and on country of origin labelling, repealed due to WTO rulings: http://www.democracynow.org/2016/1/7/transcanada_sues_the_us_for_15b Copyright © 2016 It’s Our Future NZ, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you signed up at an event or through the itsourfuture.org.nz website. Our mailing address is: It’s Our Future NZ Auckland, New Zealand Auckland, Auckland 1010 New Zealand Add us to your address book

It’s Our Future: TPPA News Bulletin

Cited straight from It’s Our Future’s mail update … sign up here to receive their updates to your mailbox: http://itsourfuture.org.nz/news/
(Clearly the rumour was correct for signing of the TPPA here in NZ).

It’s Our Future: TPPA News Bulletin #80 17 December 2015 In this Bulletin: NZ to host TPPA signing on 4 February 2016 Poll shows Kiwis against the TPPA TPPA looking shaky offshore Treaty of Waitangi challenge continues Groser buys more time on OIA Local Government resolutions The Trade and Climate Change nexus And Good Riddance Groser! And there are lots of ways to take action – Sign a petition to the Governor-General; declare your place a TPPA Free Zone; tell Labour you want them to be clear about opposing the TPPA; planning for the regional tour; say good riddance to Tim Groser; and prepare for anti-signing action on 4 February. TPPA Latest National government plans to host TPPA signing on 4 Feb The NZ government has offered to host a ministerial meeting of all 12 countries to sign the deal. We believe that will happen on 4th February next year. The government is hiding behind the same old secrecy, but Fran O’Sullivan says it is in Auckland. Put the date in your diary. More details about actions to come! Kiwis against the TPPA In successive polls, Kiwis have rejected the TPPA. A stunning TV3 Reid Research poll revealed that a majority of NZ voters reject the TPPA. The coverage said that 52% rejected the TPPA (some people didn’t have an opinion, and the rejection was over 60% of those who expressed an opinion). 73% of Labour supporters were against it (is Andrew Little listening?), 84% Greens and 87% NZ First. Even 23% of National Party supporters were against the TPPA. That’s an amazing result especially as it came after a month of media carrying the government’s PR and spin while we couldn’t see the final text. Then last week, 97.5% voted no to TPPA in an online referendum run by the people’s ‘Real Choice’. TPPA looking shaky The TPPA is looking very shaky in the US – it is being opposed by senior Republicans and Democrats, including some of those who voted for Fast Track Authority for the President. It is also opposed by front-running political candidates from both parties. As a result, the vote may be postponed until after the US elections (in November 2016), they might try to re-open negotiations or it may never be approved. It is important to know that there are still many ways that this agreement can be defeated. Waitangi Tribunal challenge set for March 2016 The Waitangi Tribunal has granted an urgent hearing on the TPPA in mid-March. It will focus on 2 questions: does the Treaty of Waitangi exception really protect Maori as the government says it does, tested against several scenarios; and what process should the Crown be adopting with its Treaty partner in relation to the TPPA. Gear up for the submissions process If the government signs, the TPPA will be sent to a Parliamentary Select Committee for review. The government can ignore what the committee says but it is still a really important way to send a message to both National and Labour. The committee doesn’t have to call for submissions but it will. It may also hold hearings around the country if there is enough demand. We are already preparing guides for submissions, Again, watch this space. Groser fobs off Official Information Act obligations The High Court ordered Trade Minister Groser to revisit his refusal to release TPPA documents under the Official Information Act. He waited to the last possible minute to say he wasn’t going to appeal, but couldn’t decide what if anything he would release until 5 February 2016 – the day after he aims to sign the deal. The Court recognised this was really frustrating but didn’t have enough basis to order the Minister to act more promptly, So the cat and mouse game of secrecy continues. Local Government Action TPP Action in Dunedin on the 14th December and both Upper Hutt and Porirua on the 16th December addressed the respective Councils in regard to the Greater Wellington Regional Council decision of 4th November and following the 18thNovember letter to all Councils. Jen Olsen with the support of Sir Alan Marks (Wise Response) and Stuart Mathieson and a few more in the public gallery spoke to the Dunedin meeting. Here is the news story from the Otago Daily Times. The Trade and Climate Change nexus As expected, the Paris Agreement on climate change was signed without any clauses to stop climate actions from being blocked by trade agreements like TPPA. The contrast between the two agreements demonstrates the real priorities of government and big business. The Paris Agreement on climate change has 31 pages, and its actions are largely voluntary and non-binding. The TPPA has 6194 pages and contains thousands of binding and enforceable provisions. The result? Trade rules as this article shows. There was a meeting of international trade and climate campaigners on Paris, together with Naomi Klein, to coordinate strategies and build a longer term campaign for transformational change. More on the global campaign to come later. Analysis of the TPPA text Jane Kelsey and Barry Coates are coordinating a series of research papers, revealing the details buried in 6000+ pages of the TPPA text. These research papers are authored by leading academics or experts, peer reviewed and referenced. They are a credible source of information. Be warned, they are not light reading! Short advocacy papers will be prepared by Action Station on the basis of the research, for release in January. See the release of the first papers here. A guide to the TPPA’s processes: The first expert paper from Jane Kelseyexplains the processes in NZ and the US if the TPPA is signed, how the US can pressure other countries to make more concessions, what has to happen before the agreement can come into force, and how its processes can fetter our regulatory sovereignty. Legal analysis of investment chapter: The expert paper on investment by Amokura Kawharu provides a technical assessment of the chapter and how it increases the risks New Zealand faces under the TPPA. Research papers on Labour, the Environment, Local Government, Economics, Internet/E-commerce, Health, Public services, Finance and te Tiriti are underway and will follow in December/January. Good Riddance Groser The Minister of Trade has sold us out in the TPPA negotiations (and in climate negotiations). As a reward, has been posted to an important diplomatic post in Washington. Gordon Campbell’s article here suggests we will be a diplomatic disaster in the role. Take Action! Petition to the Governor-General A petition has been launched to request that Governor-General commands the government to hold a binding referendum on the TPPA. It is clear that a majority of the population of our country don’t want the TPPA – we need to keep up the pressure for a referendum of the most important issue facing our country (not the flag!). Sign on to the petition. There is a full explanation of the petition and resource materials here. TPPA Free Zones Declare your home a TPPA Free Zone, or get your workplace to do so, your community centre, marae, youth centre, sports club, or wherever. This has been a powerful way to build a movement in past campaigns against nukes, the MAI etc. Download the logo here. Pressure on Labour A strong opposition to the TPPA needs the largest opposition party to be active and consistent. See Jane Kelsey’s open letter to Andrew Little here explaining how the TPPA abjectly fails ALL of Labour’s five tests and click here for information on how to contact your Labour MP. We are planning a postcard campaign in the New Year to ensure that Labour doesn’t vote for the TPPA in the Select Committee and in Parliament. “Stop the Signing” Tour We have plans for a speaking tour in the 10 days leading up to their proposed signing on 4 Feb with Jane Kelsey, Barry Coates, and hopefully a leading activist from the US. We will be in touch with local organisers and send out details as soon as details are settled.  The dates are likely to be in the period 25-31 January in major cities. Summer of Campaigning I hope you’re able to take action at beaches, in parks, at events, and in your communities over the summer. Look out for the next Bulletin after the New Year with more actions to come to build a strong voice across our country against the TPPA. Have a great Xmas and New Year! Send any suggestions or feedback to me at barrycoatesnz@yahoo.com and please let me know if you can help out with our planned website re-vamp and design of campaign actions. TPPA – it’s not over. Don’t sign! TPPA in the News Petition to the Governor-Generalhttp://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1512/S00191/tppa-free-and-action-groups-petition-the-governor-general.htm Real Choice results of the referendumhttp://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1512/S00085/new-zealanders-vote-no-to-the-tppa.htm and then they took the results into Parliament http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1512/S00127/question-time-interrupted-by-democracy.htm Senior Republicans change their minds on the TPPAhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mcconnell-warns-that-trade-deal-cant-pass-congress-before-2016-elections/2015/12/10/b8151f26-9f66-11e5-8728-1af6af208198_story.html Or are the Republicans just trying to get a better deal through side letters?https://ourfuture.org/20151214/dont-be-misled-tpp-still-coming-full-steam There are huge pay-offs involved http://www.mintpressnews.com/211853-2/211853/ As if the TPPA isn’t bad enough, leaked documents from the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) negotiations reveal a further push to undermine democratic rightshttp://www.world-psi.org/en/great-climate-change-swindle And the WTO ruled against the US rights to use country of origin consumer labelling for meat products http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lori-wallach/wto-orders-sanctions-unle_b_8748594.html For story-telling about the TPPA’s health impacts in New Zealand, see Erik Monasterio’s address to the Association of Salaried Medical Specialistshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdNK1pBTVig

It’s rumoured Auckland is hosting TPPA signing on Feb 4th – a call to action

A TPPA update here from the ActionStation website:

“Big news! I have heard through the political grapevine that Auckland will be the host of the official TPPA signing ceremony on February 4th. That’s just 50 days away! Plans are underway for one heck of a welcome party, so watch this space.

Behind the scenes here at ActionStation we’ve been working hard to build our crowdfunded TPPA information website. [1] The website will launch in early January and is designed to make it easy for you to understand and share what the TPPA means for everyday New Zealanders, as well as influence the parliamentary process of ratifying (formally signing) the deal (as much as we can with this flawed and undemocratic process).

The website will feature information drawn from peer-reviewed analysis of the 6000-page agreement currently being conducted by the New Zealand Law Society. [2] That analysis is then handed to our team of volunteers and paid helpers who are putting it into language we can all understand, without a law degree.

Currently, 54% of polled New Zealanders do not want us to sign the TPPA. [3] Our goal is to bring that number up to 65 – 70%, with the help of this website and all of you…

Let’s keep this momentum going in 2016, because we have a lot more good to do together.

Thank you, for everything,

Laura, Marianne, Nina and Ryan”

See Action Station’s end of year update video HERE

References:

1. www.tppafacts.co.nz
2. https://tpplegal.wordpress.com/nzlf-expert-paper-series/
3. http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/kiwis-still-to-be-convinced-on-tpp-2015112017

It’s Our Future: TPPA News Bulletin

It’s Our Future: TPPA News Bulletin #79 16 November 2015 In this Bulletin: Updates on Nationwide marches; Aotearoa NZ Peoples’ Demands; Media Coverage; Take Action Now; Key Issues from the text; Legal Action; and a Message from our friends at Real Choice. Thanks to all for amazing rallies, marches, picnics and other events across the country last weekend. This was a crucial step in countering the media spin that the TPPA isn’t so bad and to suggesting that it’s too late. We got our message out there instead: It ain’t over. Don’t sign! We have kicked the pressure back up, our job is now to make the political cost too high for the government to sign this monstrous agreement. Analysis of more than 6000 pages to look at the real dangers that are hidden behind the legal text, and we will produce hard-hitting fact sheets on the crucial ways that the TPPA will affect our environment, our people, our rights and our sovereignty. It ain’t over in New Zealand and opposition to the TPPA is mobilising in other countries. We need to keep up the pressure. This is a fight that we can still win! Aotearoa NZ Peoples’ TPPA Demands The following demands were read out at each of the rallies and were widely supported by attendees. The Government has no democratic mandate to sign away our democratic powers in the TPPA. Before it takes any steps towards signing the agreement, the Government shall: Undertake independent human rights, health, environmental and climate change impact assessments of the potential effects of the TPPA on the people and land of New Zealand, and make this information publicly available. Support Local Government New Zealand to undertake an independent assessment of the impacts on local government of the TPPA, and consult fully with local government. Fully engage with its Treaty of Waitangi partners to hear and address their concerns about the TPPA and refer the text and any proposed legislation to the Waitangi Tribunal to conduct a full risk assessment of impacts on tangata whenua; iwi and hapū. Withdraw its consent to the secrecy pact among the twelve TPPA countries and release all background documentation relating to the negotiations. Initiate a full public and parliamentary debate on the TPPA, including Select Committee hearings with public consultation, and put the TPPA to a public referendum, before formal signing. We will continue to mobilise New Zealand citizens in opposition to the TPPA until our demands have been met. These demands, plus some basic info on TPPA, are available as an A4 pdf here and an A5 pdf here. http://itsourfuture.org.nz/aotearoa-nz-peoples-tppa-demands/ Media Coverage Media coverage over the weekend was dominated by the tragedy in Paris, but we still managed to get quite a few stories in different publications. Before Rally 10/11/15          Northern Advocate Bay News Bites: Big crowd expected at show (briefs) 11/11/15          Bay of Plenty Times Tauranga protest against signing of TPPA 13/11/15          Gisborne Herald Gisborne TPPA protest march tomorrow 14/11/15          Newstalk ZB Thousands expected at nationwide TPP events 14/11/15          3 News More protests against the TPP Rally Coverage 14/11/15          3 News TPP protests across the country 14/11/15          Manawatu Standard Hundreds rally in Palmerston North against controversial trade deal 14/11/15          Gisborne Herald Protesting the TPPA in Gisborne 15/11/15          3 News TPPA protests draw big crowds 15/11/15          The Press Protesters rally against TPPA in Christchurch 16/11/15          Nelson Mail TPPA campaigners ‘sick of being ignored’ plan to step up protests 16/11/15          Rotorua Daily Post Rotorua joins protest action over TPP 16/11/15          Otago Daily Times Anti-TPP battle continues, rally told Take Action Now! Make a ‘Real Choice’ – the folks behind “Show us ya text’ have now launched an awesome campaign to call on the government to hold a referendum on the TPPA. If we’re holding two referendums on a flag that hardly anyone wants, what about a real referendum on protecting our sovereignty? Sign up to demand a referendum at Real Choice, and check out the message from them at the bottom of this message. TPPA Free Zones – declare your home a TPPA Free Zone, or get your workplace to do so, your community centre, marae, youth centre, sports club, or wherever. Download the logo here. Get active on the media – Use your influence with local and national media, and social media to get the word out, using the ‘Key Issues’ briefing below. We need to tell them that it’s not over and the we must not sign. Message to Labour: Come down off that fence – A strong opposition to the TPPA needs the largest opposition party to be active and consistent. See Jane Kelsey’s open letter to Andrew Little here explaining how the TPPA abjectly fails ALL of Labour’s five tests and click here for information on how to contact your Labour MP. Build our support base – Get more of your friends, whanau, neighbours, work colleagues and community to wake up to this very real danger to our democracy. We are planning a roadshow in February/March to educate and mobilise more people to support our struggle. We will be putting a callout to see who can help organise a local meeting. Key Issues emerging from the analysis of the text The final text of the TPPA was released on 5 November 2015. Initial analysis of the text shows the NZ government has misled the public through spin, inflated claims and self-serving omissions. The economic benefits have been exaggerated, the economic and social costs understated and future risks ignored. Read a three page analysis document here. Support the Legal Case against Government secrecy Please donate to the case the Dr. Jane Kelsey has brought against the government. The action has already been supported by a Court ruling that will strengthen access to OIAs in future. Help end the secrecy so that we can hold the government to account. Donate here. A Message From Our Friends at Real Choice Please share this message with your groups and networks. Hi, it’s Ben here from Real Choice, asking for the help of you and your organisation. We believe the government has acted undemocratically in its TPPA negotiation. This is too important to be left up to a small group of MPs to decide, and should be put to a binding referendum vote. So Real Choice is giving Kiwi’s a voice by running a nationwide peoples’ referendum on whether or not we ratify the TPPA, beginning next week. From Monday 23rd till Monday the 30th of November, we’ll be holding our own referendum online (you can see the live referendum website HERE) asking whether the NZ government should ratify the TPP. We have set up a secure online voting platform and need volunteers to set up ‘polling stations’ around the country to collect votes during polling week. We’ll need as many people as possible to vote in our referendum. That’s why we’re asking you to post links to the referendum (at vote.tppa.nz) in your own communications during the voting period. Whether it’s being included in your newspaper or being posted on Facebook, we’re looking for your support to enable us to get more voters. On Monday, will you send a notification to your email list and invite them to participate in the referendum? This is not actually a vote on the TPPA, nor is it a petition for a Citizens Initiated Referendum. It is us attempting to reach the widest possible group of voters, in a step back from direct action to allow us to build a bigger support group before the next phase, which we’ll announce with the referendum results. With our mandate and support base as wide as possible, we’re hoping to be able to do something awesome next. Thanks for your support, Ben and the rest of the Real Choice Crew For further information go to It’s Our Future’s website here: http://itsourfuture.org.nz/news/ This update was brought to you by: EnvirowatchRangitikei

TPPA – Over Ten Thousand Kiwis Protest Nationwide

A massive turnout of kiwis at 17 actions around the country have sent a strong message to the Government saying ‘TPPA, Don’t Sign’, according to It’s Our Future.

“The Government has spent the last five weeks since TPPA negotiations concluded on a comprehensive PR mission to tell New Zealanders that this deal is supposedly in their best interests. Today, over ten thousand kiwis nationwide proved that PR mission has failed,” said It’s Our Future spokesperson Edward Miller.

“New Zealanders have learnt not to swallow the ‘Trust Me’ propaganda peddled by Minister Groser,” said Edward Miller.

“For the past six years we’ve been told about a gold-plated El Dorado trade bonanza. This has failed to materialise, yet the corporate wishlist has weaved its way through the completed text.”

“Now that we have the TPPA text it’s becoming clear that this deal as is bad as we’ve been expecting. Kiwis haven’t been fooled,” said Miller.

– See more

---

 Links to further News:

http://itsourfuture.org.nz

http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/11/02/exclusive-jane-kelsey-tppa-has-not-been-signed-crucial-protest-on-14-nov/

http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/tpp-protests-across-the-country-2015111418#axzz3rUWryvUQ (Video)