The TPP Roadshow is a Circus

“Roll up, roll up to the amazing Todd McClay’s Flying Circus!”

TPP Action Dunedin welcomed Trade Minister Todd McClay and MFAT officials with a Monty Python theme on the eve of their Dunedin TPP Roadshow.

“The roadshow is a circus” said spokesperson Liana Kelly. “The government is not interested in hearing what New Zealanders think about the TPP. If they were, they would not be holding a roadshow after the deadline for submissions to the TPP Select Committee.”

“Not only that, their roadshow presentation only looks at the claimed benefits and doesn’t mention the costs and disadvantages to New Zealanders, such as higher costs for medicines, loss of 5,000 jobs and increased inequality.”

Economists Rod Oram, Professor Tim Hazledine, Barry Coates and Dr Geoff Bertram wrote an alternative assessment of the TPP text concluding that the costs to New Zealanders will far outweigh the government’s projected benefits.

“Rather than attending Minister Todd McClay’s Flying Circus Dunedin business people would do better to come to St David lecture theatre this evening at 7:30pm to hear Professor Tim Hazledine give the facts about the TPPA.” Ms Kelly said. “We deserve more than spin.”

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