Q+A: Trade Minister Tim Groser on the TPP 'it is almost inconceivable ..that anyone will take a case against New Zealand in the next X years.’

Trade Minister Tim Groser told TV One’s Q+A programme on the TPP that, ‘it is almost inconceivable, given the safeguards that our international lawyers have negotiated, that anyone will take a case against New Zealand in the next X years.’

Tim Groser conceded ‘that the United States is more litigious, and that’s why we put so much emphasis on the safeguards, and then we went this extra mile to try and get—first of all, nothing in Australia will be subject to ISDS. We have a bi-lateral agreement. We don’t need this. Secondly, we’ve got this big tobacco exemption, which stops big tobacco hunting for us.’

When asked about the ability to protect a future government’s right to restrict the land, or the sale of land, to foreigners. Minister Groser said,’No, but what we’ve decided to try and facilitate the debate here in New Zealand is to make explicit what we thought was implicit in the Korea deal, which is a future New Zealand government – we have no intention of doing this – can take discriminatory tax measures.’

Minister Groser told the programme he would like Labour’s support and is meeting with senior Labour leaders tomorrow.

Q+A, 9-10am Sundays on TV ONE and one hour later on TV ONE plus 1. Repeated Sunday evening at 11:35pm. Streamed live at www.tvnz.co.nz

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