“The TPPA is nothing more than a power grab by overseas corporates, and delegates should actively campaign against it,” said Democrats for Social Credit Party leader Stephnie de Ruyter in a speech to the Party’s annual conference in Wellington.

“The incredible irony is that in Greece, where former finance minister Yanis Varoufakis was putting together a monetary system to enable Greece’s collapsing economy to continue to function in the event that the European Troika threw them out of the Eurozone, he is facing charges of treason”.

“In New Zealand, where the prime minister and trade minister are willing to sign an agreement enabling overseas corporates to sue taxpayers for loss of profits, they are likely to be awarded an honour by a future government”.

“The second irony is that in defying the European Union by holding a referendum, Greece honoured its ancestors and reminded the world of its status as the birthplace of western democracy.”

“In this country, despite 5 years of negotiations, the public is not being given details on the TPPA.

“Opposition parties know little of the detail; most Govt MPs know little of the detail. There will be no Select Committee process, no public consultation, no submissions, no debate in parliament, and no referendum”.

“Yet the TPPA will have the most far reaching effects on New Zealand’s future of almost any agreement yet signed or piece of legislation yet passed into law”.

Ms de Ruyter said that if the prime minister and trade minister signed the TPPA without widespread public consultation she was putting them on notice, that should she ever become part of a government, she would find a way to prosecute them.

“If that meant re-instating a law on treason, even for a short time, would find a way to do it”.

ENDS

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