TPP Free Welllington [1] – post event Media Release 12 September 2016

10 Sept 2016 Rally for Democracy – Wellington Civic Square.

[2]

How many times do the people have to say no to forced or bad deals?

Wellington Rally for Democracy says no to TPP!

New Zealanders from all walks of life gathered Saturday 10 September in a dozen towns and cities affirming our democratic rights to build a fairer and more sustainable society.[3]

The events were organised by “anti - corporate rule” and “pro democracy” collaborations known variously as It's Our Future, TPPA Action and TPP Free. With allies, we organised rallies, marches, musical performances, and speeches, in fun and friendly events. We have organised hundreds of events and public meetings since 2012. These bring together a powerful movement for change through revitalised democracy and public participation in decision making in towns and cities across Aotearoa New Zealand.

• This is a time when families are struggling with high housing costs, insecure work and stagnant wages.

• The gaps between the haves and have-nots are widening in our society.

• Our rivers and seas are being polluted, our native species are being wiped out and we are failing to curb climate emissions.

• The share of the economic benefits going to working and middle class participants has dropped markedly, as asset prices have skyrocketed, all favouring those who are already wealthy or well trained for professional service such as medicine, law, architecture, engineering and IT development.

The Wellington event in Civic Square 12-4pm featured musicians including Not the Day Job, Warren Maxwell (Trinity Roots), Sam Manzanza Band and many more. Speakers including Sam Huggard CTU, campaigners, NGOs and politicians said we need to connect the dots between the struggles against corporate control of our nation and lives. Housing, food safety and purity, clean water and an equitable social and political economy are all impacted by the government's trade policy.

Multinational corporations are being given rights and advantages over citizens and the local economy in many different ways. The manner that corporate control effectively screws the whole economy to ruthless capitalist and neoliberal principles must be comprehended for people to apprehend that which is required to change to meet egalitarian values.

We experience minimal government intervention to control the large corporation's powerful presence in our political economy. The Government's treatment of homelessness and housing affordablility, health including metal health, poverty and the Havelock North Water contamination disaster, points to the heart of the power and money relations that drive the NZ Government's agenda. The New Zealand Government are charged to serve the people and their needs – they are failing in their responsibilities.

Wellington Rally votes unanimously for action on TPP. (resolution follows...)

Wellington rally particpants call for Action! Reject the TPPA and its clones.

Wellington demands democratic alternatives - the TPPA is not in the interests of New Zealand. It would give rights to global corporations and undermine the issues wecare about – the environment, workers’ rights, climate action, te Tiriti rights, local economies and more.

We welcome the opposition to the TPPA from Labour, Greens, NZ First and the Maori Party, as well as a majority of citizens.

We call on opposition parties to commit to withdrawing from the TPPA if elected, even if the National government forces the treaty through Parliamentary approval.

We call on political parties to reject future treaties that restrict the rights of governments to act in the public interest, and allowforeign corporations to sue our government. Existing treaties must be re-negotiated to remove these provisions.

We call for the development of new agreements for fair and ecologically sound trade that respects our democratic and judicial systems, and supports vibrant local economies and communities.

Take action! Write to:

Andrew.little@parliament.govt.nz Labour Party

Metiria.turei@parliament.govt.nz Green Party

Winston.peters@parliament.govt.nz NZ First

Teururoa.flavell@parliament.govt.nz Maori Party

For information on this and more actions, see www.itsourfuture.org.nz

The Rally affirms a democractic and sovereign Aotearoa New Zealand State.

We highlight and celebrate the positive alternatives in communities in Aotearoa – through
organics, permaculture, community gardens; local renewable energy, EVs (Electical Vehicles), divestment from fossil fuels; campaigns for better public transport and cycling; UBI (Universal Basic Income), community finance, time banking; refugee support groups; etc.

We comprehend the reality of the parlous state of international relations intersecting a
growing human and ecological crisis. We require that our Government and the people of this nation are part of the solution and not the problem. We like to think ourselves winners, however in the game of human advancement and quality ecological practice we are losers.

Let's lift our game. Let's be good at politics as well as sport.

People across New Zealand rallied on Saturday 10 September to oppose the TPP ratification.

Trade and investment treaties take away our rights to protect ourselves – let's change that fact!

1. TPP Free Wellington Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/658556344213166/

2. Rally for Democracy Wgtn event page:

https://www.facebook.com/events/503817189824218/

3. It's Our Future Day of Action page: https://itsourfuture.org.nz/take-action/

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