17 March 2016

Talking with TPK on TPP is not Māori engagement

Leaked emails have been filed as evidence today by lead claimant counsel Annette Sykes in the TPPA Inquiry and presented as part of the cross examination of chief negotiator for the TPPA, Dr David Walker.

The Tribunal, claimant counsel and expert witnesses were also shown the Te Karere news story yesterday by reporter Heta Gardiner and asked for their comment.

The emails attained clearly state that MFAT’s engagement with Te Puni Kokiri was limited and instead of having “engaged with Te Puni Kōkiri” TPK asked MFAT to acknowledge that its involvement was more akin to “confirming an approach” rather than being “engaged with”.
Ms Sykes characterised this as the ‘tick box mentality’.

The email exchanges became a contestable issue in today’s cross examination of Dr David Walker as to the nature of Te Puni Kokiri’s actual involvement in the evolution of TPPA negotiations.

Member of the Tribunal panel, David Cochrane questioned Dr Walker whether TPK had “dropped the ball” and had waited for direction from MFAT rather than progressing their own engagement with Māori stakeholders. Sir Doug Kidd however took a much different view and questioned Dr Walker as to when the Crown would engage in meaningful and genuine way with Māori given the lack of evidence before the Tribunal of past engagement with significant groups like Iwi Rūnanga, Tribal Trust boards and other Iwi Authorities who after all Sir Douglas Kidd described as the “real Treaty Partner after all”.

ENDS

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