Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

Trade deal will increase health inequities

STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE,
TUESDAY 28 JUNE 2016

Trade deal will increase health inequities

“The TPPA is riddled with provisions that will widen already unacceptable health disparities” says Dr Erik Monasterio, a spokesperson for Doctors for Healthy Trade. An analysis of the impact of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement on health equity co-authored by Dr Monasterio has been published today in the journal Applied Health Economics and Health Policy. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40258-016-0252-3

The Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement (TPPA) is a multi-lateral trade and investment agreement proposed between New Zealand and 11 other Pacific rim countries.


“Pushing up the costs of housing is bad for health, and will increase inequity; but housing costs are likely to rise under the TPPA. Climate change is bad for health, and will increase inequity; but the TPPA will make it harder and more expensive for governments to take action to reduce climate emissions. Junk food and its advertising is bad for health, and increases inequity; but the TPPA will make it harder and more expensive for governments to control advertising,” said Dr Monasterio

“The TPPA forces changes to the way that medicine costs are managed in New Zealand that will push up the costs to the tax-payer. Anything that pushes up the drug bill makes it harder for governments to make medicines affordable for everyone. This is extremely concerning when we know that many New Zealanders already can’t afford to pick up prescriptions of important medicines.”

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.


“The TPPA will have serious, wide-ranging implications for Māori, Pacific peoples and other marginalised groups in New Zealand, exacerbating existing health and social disadvantage. When we look internationally, the impact of the TPPA on lower-income countries will be even more dramatic. The TPPA will make it easier, quicker and cheaper for foreign junk food, alcohol and fossil fuel industries to operate aggressively. At the same time the TPPA makes medicines there more expensive, making it harder, slower and more expensive for their governments to control health hazards. Only countries that are rich enough to withstand long, expensive, international legal battles will be in a position to protect health and reduce the ever-widening health inequities.”

“We need full public discussion of the health impacts of the TPPA, including the effects on health equity, before the government decides whether or not to bring the TPPA into force.” said Dr Monasterio

ENDS


© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines



Gordon Campbell: On Dune 2, And Images Of Islam


Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture tends to be hostile to Islam when we’re sitting in the dark, with popcorn.
Any number of movie examples come to mind, beginning with Rudolf Valentino’s role (over a century ago) as the romantic Arab hero in The Sheik...
More


 
 


Government: One-stop Shop Major Projects On The Fast Track

The Coalition Government’s new one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again... More

ALSO:


Government: GPS 2024: Over $20 Billion To Get Transport Back On Track
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government’s plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely... More

ALSO:

Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.