Rt Hon Winston Peters
New Zealand First Leader
Member of Parliament for Northland
18 MAY 2017

English Hoodwinked into Early TPPA

Prime Minister Bill English is being hoodwinked into an early implementation of TPPA, says New Zealand First.

“He is trying to build up his persona as a national leader, but he is proving to be a pushover on the international stage by saying TPPA discussions were better than he expected,” says New Zealand First Leader and Northland MP Rt Hon Winston Peters.

“Of course they were. Japan has several reasons for wanting this treaty, one being the extremely good value they got out of it on trade.

“New Zealand didn’t do well at all, especially with Japan.

“In its TPPA negotiations New Zealand was getting little from Japan. Japan was only opening its domestic market to 3,188 tons of butter and skim milk powder. Then five years later it would have reached 3,719 tons in each category. That is a pathetically small volume; and we should also remember Japan has some of the most subsidised farmers in the world.

“The fact that the US would still benefit from the TPPA despite pulling out, is proof the deal is not for us.

“Why would New Zealand continue to sign up to a deal that compromises Pharmac and allows foreign corporates to sue our government in offshore courts, if they believe our laws have adversely affected their business?

“The TPPA was never about free trade – it was a protection deal for multi-national corporates.

“New Zealand First says the only way to save the TPPA is to go back to the small group of countries who came up with the original concept and finalise a trade agreement without non-trade projects and agendas getting in the way,” says Mr Peters.

ENDS

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