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

 

National’s TPPA-11 leaves four questions unanswered


National’s TPPA-11 announcement leaves four questions unanswered

The National government announced on the last day of Parliament that Cabinet has endorsed terms for a major new trade and investment deal - the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement minus the US, or TPPA-11. It said the TPPA text will remain basically unchanged, despite the US no longer participating. That begs multiple questions, says University of Auckland law professor Jane Kelsey.

First, the government’s main rationale for adopting the agreement was that it gave New Zealand a de facto free trade agreement with the US that it could not get otherwise.

Professor Kelsey points out that an unchanged TPPA would give US corporations the benefit of rules that increase the price of medicine, impose longer copyright terms, prohibit requirements to hold data in the country, restrict state-owned enterprises, and more, without the US making any concessions in return.

It was the US that drove these harsh conditions and New Zealand previously agreed only in exchange for better access to US markets. So how can the same deal still be a good deal?

Second, trade minister Todd McClay says the eleven remaining parties have agreed in a series of secret meetings to retain the original text. New Zealand is known to have taken a hard line in pushing for this. But has the minister explained to the other parties that New Zealand has an election and he cannot guarantee to deliver on this himself?

Third, these meetings have been happening for most of the year. Did the government really not know until the last day of Parliament that other parties had agreed to a “no changes to the TPPA text” position? If it did know earlier, why the delay in announcing that?

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.

Fourth, the minister claimed in the House that the TPPA-11 will generate “tens of thousands of jobs and billions for our economy”. There is nothing to support those claims on the MFAT website, and he said no National Interest Analysis will be released until the deal is tabled in Parliament. If they have done the work, and they really do show what the minister claims, why is the government not releasing it now?

Professor Kelsey called on the government to release its modelling on the TPPA-11 immediately to allow New Zealanders, and the Opposition parties, to make informed decisions in the lead up to the election.

© Scoop Media

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


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... 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.