TPPA Protest review

Written By: - Date published: 4:55 pm, August 15th, 2015 - 38 comments
Categories: john key, national, trade - Tags: ,

An open post to cover  the TPPA protests today.

In Auckland it was big and noisy with an estimated 10,000 plus people attending.  Congratulations to the organisers including Jane Kelsey and well done to everyone who turned up despite the weather.  There is a lot of anger building over this issue and I am sure the Government is going to feel the response.
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Law Professor Jane Kelsey.  If you want to contribute to the costs of the High Court action she is taking to try and get the text released it is here.

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Good to see David Parker was there.

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The Green’s Denise Roche spoke passionately.

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38 comments on “TPPA Protest review ”

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  1. Tom 1
    15 August 2015 at 5:15 pm

    Kohukohu in the Hokianga had 50 people protest the TPPA today………. Well done to everybody who took to the streets NZ wide …….

  2. Kay 2
    15 August 2015 at 5:23 pm

    I joined in the Wellington protest, the first time in 25 years I’ve really been motivated to participate (the last one was the Ruthenasia cuts/ECA in 1991). Very pleased to have taken part. I was talking to several people along the way who were also protesting for the first time in many years- sometimes ever- they feel so strongly about the TPPA issue. We were also (only partially) joking that at least for now we still have to right to peacefully protest so should take advantage because certain people in high places no doubt would love to remove that right as well.

    I’m interested to know what the turnout in Wellington was- 1000 according to Stuff, 8000 according to RNZ. I guessed a few thousand. Has anyone a rough idea?

    • DoublePlusGood 2.1
      15 August 2015 at 6:12 pm

      I would say 2000-3000 based on the area taken up and comparison to Wednesday’s protest at the same location.

    • Frank Macskasy 2.2
      15 August 2015 at 10:43 pm

      Re the Wellington protest. I’ll have a report on that tomorrow (two, if I consume enough coffee to do away with sleep altogether tonight) on a matter that the MSM did not report on – but which I think is a fairly serious turn of events regarding police and peaceful protest.

      It’ll be on TDB (if I can plug it here – Lynn?).

      On the matter of numbers, I’d guess around 4,000 to 6,000. But only guessing.

      Definitely not 1,000. Whichever bright eyed young thing at Stuff came up with that number needs to go back to Primary School.

    • maui 2.3
      16 August 2015 at 3:02 am

      I think Frank is about right on numbers, about 5,000 I reckon. And the TV3 report was wrong when it said that police stopped people from getting through the barriers at Parliament. The fact was that the barriers leaked like a sieve with people running onto the forecourt of Parliament and they weren’t far off getting to the doors of Parliament.

  3. Paul 3
    15 August 2015 at 5:29 pm

    Note how the corporate media always put the numbers way below the reality.

    • AmaKiwi 3.1
      16 August 2015 at 1:04 am

      Chris Trotter puts the Auckland numbers at 15,000 to 20,000.

      Chris knows approximately how many marchers in 1 city block. He counts how many blocks long the march is.

  4. heather 4
    15 August 2015 at 5:45 pm

    This was a massive outpouring of anger by people of all ages and different races and creeds over the TPPA and the fact that it is a secret document.
    New Zealanders have had enough, it is time for Key and Grosser to admit failure and that the country overwhelming do not want to be part of this arrangement with the USA.
    The crowds were peaceful, this will however will not last. The community is starting to boil, they have had enough of the arrogance of Key and Grosser, they are yesterdays men living in yesterdays world.
    New Zealand wants to take charge of their destiny again.

    • Heather Grimwood 4.1
      15 August 2015 at 6:36 pm

      Yes indeed heather above….the diversity and passion in Dunedin was huge too!

  5. Glenn 5
    15 August 2015 at 6:11 pm

    New Plymouth had a good turnout…hard to estimate but I would think about 350 to 400. Expect the local rag to halve that.

  6. venezia 6
    15 August 2015 at 6:15 pm

    How it warms my heart to see that there were a significant number of young people at the march. The link to the Givealittle page is not working by the way.

  7. greywarshark 7
    15 August 2015 at 7:26 pm

    Nelson had a day of lucky weather, cloudy no downpour. About 300 gathered, speakers explained the TPPA trap, and then we did a walk chanting TPPA walk away or No way. Lots of signs, many had been carefully painted over days complete with stick for height. People from surrounding towns and as far as Blenheim, drove into Nelson to take part.

    There was a small bit of civil disobedience when the protesters blocked an intersection for 5 minutes. Then back to the square where there was some music and a feeling of satisfaction and solidarity at having had the numbers to indicate the serious concern about this inequitable agreement.

    It was repeated that it was not actually a trade agreement, but an attempt to sign over sovereignty. Not what our ancestors would have considered after sailing here over huge seas, both Maori and pakeha. We pakeha who are later arrivals still have not finished making reparation for wrongs to Maori. No true, committed New Zealander would weakly sign over the country to a group of governments with the wish to be slave-owning, financial pirates with money icons for eyeballs.

  8. Grey Area 8
    15 August 2015 at 8:28 pm

    An estimated 300-400 of us (estimated by me) marched in Napier from Memorial Square to the Sound Shell. Very good turnout for our neck of the woods and I was pleased to be part of it and the opposition across the country.

  9. Clemgeopin 9
    15 August 2015 at 8:51 pm

    NEW ZEALANDER OF THE YEAR:

    As an aside, hats off to Professor Jane Kelsey for her tireless work to enlightened the Nation.

    I think she should be made the NEW ZEALANDER OF THE YEAR, irrespective of whether this government the signs the TPPA deal or not.

    What do you all think?

  10. plumington 10
    15 August 2015 at 8:55 pm

    Great Idea a real battler for the little guy and democracy

    • Murray Simmonds 10.1
      16 August 2015 at 7:00 am

      Yes, great idea. Prof Kelsey has been an essential source of relevant, useful, essential information over a number of years. information that is vital to the ongoing health of freedom and democracy in this country, where freedom and democracy are rapidly becoming things of the past.

  11. Tautoko Mangō Mata 11
    15 August 2015 at 8:57 pm

    I agree with you, Clem. She was even collecting with a bucket, and had to be called back to the mike for her speech. She is an inspiring powerhouse. The polar opposite of John Key, Jane puts in this huge effort for the good of our nation,

  12. save NZ 12
    15 August 2015 at 9:07 pm

    TPPA is the Springbok issue of the times.

    Great to see Labour and Greens there.

    +1 to Jane Kelsey!

  13. Nck 13
    15 August 2015 at 10:22 pm

    Great Auckland march today, enjoyed the unity…. Excellent simple speeches…. The only one I was disappointed in was the Labour woman… Just seemed to hedge her bets with her words…. All the rest were very clear… No to TPPA. A number of boos actually from the crowd when she spoke, so it wasn’t just me.

    • Clemgeopin 13.1
      15 August 2015 at 10:55 pm

      Actually, for me, the biggest draw back with the TPP is the secrecy and the undemocratic way it is done when the big corporates are told the ‘secret’ terms but the people are not! This is entrapment.

      The entire discussion, the deals, the terms, the hooks, the good, the bad and the ugly parts should have been given to the MPs in parliament or at least the leaders of parties in confidence for their views, suggestions and safeguards, in the same manner they are doing it with just one political party per country and the big multi national corporates.

      We do not even know for sure what the actual deal is. We are simply asked to trust them! That being the case, for the negotiators to sign the bloody deal in private and possibly entrap the nation and our future generations is definitely not acceptable.

      Show us the entire document for discussion, acceptance or rejection by the people either by a referendum or the parliament before it is signed.

      If it is a bilateral agreement between two countries, the situation would not be as dangerous as this major secret trade treaty between twelve different nations when our sovereignty, independence and freedom is at stake.

    • Karen 13.2
      16 August 2015 at 10:07 am

      What Labour woman? Do you mean Marama Fox from the Maori Party? Or Denise Roche from the Greens?

      David Parker spoke for Labour and there were a few calls of “just say no” as he read out the Labour Party conditions for saying yes. Biggest cheer was when he said it had to comply with the Treaty of Waitangi.

  14. AmaKiwi 14
    16 August 2015 at 1:15 am

    TPPA demands a binding referendum.

    How patronizing to have a binding referendum on the flag but not on TPPA?

    A binding referendum would also get the Maori Party and Peter Dunne off the hook as National’s support parties.

  15. Jenny Kirk 15
    16 August 2015 at 7:47 am

    I estimate we had about 350 people at the rally in Whangarei. That’s a good turnout for a little town – especially as it was pouring with rain !!

    • Skinny 15.1
      16 August 2015 at 6:33 pm

      I was most impressed with your speech Jenny, well done! You put many a modern day MP to shame with your straight up no nonsense style.

  16. John Shears 16
    16 August 2015 at 10:31 am

    Had visitors so only saw TV3 news with low audio which seemed to only cover the Christchurch protest so not until now on TS that I get the full coverage although the ChCh details seem to be missing. Great photos thanks.

  17. Tautoko Mangō Mata 17
    16 August 2015 at 10:31 am

    Opposed to TPPA
    Doctors, Nurses, Librarians, Institute of IT Professionals, Greenpeace,TEU, PPTA, NZEI (Tertiary,Secondary & Primary teachers) , CTU, Green Party, Māori Party, NZ First ,high profile Māori academics and most Labour Party supporters, Prof Jane Kelsey and many prominent NZ academics.

    All of the above are “breathless children” and “politically irrelevant” :Tim Groser

    Pro the TPPA
    53 per cent of CEOs responding to the Herald Boardroom survey
    (One-third remained on the fence and 13 per cent were not confident).
    National, Act, Peter Dunne, Hon Wayne Mapp, Stephen Jacobi, Matthew Hooton
    (The last 2 are paid for their positive spin.)

  18. Rolf 18
    16 August 2015 at 11:40 am

    Anyone who really wants to know what TPP is about should study the annexation of Korea by Japan 1910. The Japanese left the ordinary Korean government in place, signed agreement like TPP so they could direct their actions from Tokyo. The Korean government ruled, but the Japanese told them how. Koreans were made a second class Japanese, and the canon feed in any war. Now it is the turn of the Kiwis to be the second rate Americans. Washington will make the decisions, and with the help of agreement like the TPP rule New Zealand. New Zealand is being annexed by the USA like Hitler annexed Austria.

  19. Nck 19
    16 August 2015 at 11:59 am

    @Karen….sorry didn’t catch the labour person’s name…. But introduced as coming from Labour….. Maybe it was David Parker sorry. …. someone yelled out ‘harden up Labour’ during the speech….

  20. Jim 20
    16 August 2015 at 1:43 pm

    Personally- I think politicians should have been banned from the march. The Greens are yet to even mention Agenda 21- which is a documented fact- and will be the final death knell for the struggling poor. They, like Labour and National etc are just another Rothschild controlled fraud.

  21. rhinocrates 21
    16 August 2015 at 3:23 pm

    Thinking of David Parker’s ridiculous claims that Labour wants to make the TTPA “fairer”, just as Little now talks about making the 90-day legislation “fairer”, I’ve worked out the difference between a liberal and a radical:

    A liberal tries to put lipstick on a pig while a radical thinks “Mmmm, bacon!”

  22. Fydd 22
    16 August 2015 at 8:24 pm

    The organisers estimated ‘10,000 protesters had gathered in Auckland; 5000 in Wellington; 4000 in Christchurch and 2000 in both Dunedin and Hamilton. They put the crowds at 800 in Nelson, 500 in Napier, 300 in New Plymouth, 200 in Tauranga, 250 in Golden Bay and 50 in Featherson.’ So that’s a total of 25,100. Plus as mentioned above 350 in Whangarei, 50 in Kohukohu, plus there are other many other missing towns in as well.

    If Trotter is right about Auckland, then at least 30-35,000 protested on the day around the country. That’s comparable to the big mobilisations or ‘mobes’ against the Vietnam War in the early 1970s eg. 35,000 in April 1971.

    The Wellington march got a little out of the control of the organisers again. At the last march they told everybody in Midland Park that the march to parliament was off because it was raining, but they were completely overruled by the marchers. This time they pleaded with the hundreds of people who danced through the barriers to ‘go away’ but to no avail. It was one of the best demos in Wellington for a long time.

  23. Kevin 23
    17 August 2015 at 8:08 am

    As I understand it we didn’t sign the TPPA so why the protest?

    Is it because the protests couldn’t be cancelled? And if not is it because there’s a concern that with some changes the TPPA could still be signed? And if so if the changes meant that say everyone would be for example $100K better off over the next ten years would there have still been protests?

    Not trolling, genuinely interested in what people have to say.

    • lprent 23.1
      17 August 2015 at 8:45 am

      Because the useless restraint of treaty was still on the table.

      So far there are no known benefits for NZ, but lots of costs. It will increase the costs of our tech exporters, pharmaceutical imports, and the legal costs of businesses. It is likely to increase the legal costs of legislation dealing with social and economic ills. These are all immediate costs.

      The only benefits under discussion are those to do with agriculture and forestry. Neither appears likely to have gained any access for decades.

      So we wind up individually paying a lot extra for 15-20 years, and then maybe getting more access to falling populations…

      But if you know of any tangible advantages to businesses and the country outside of those I have outlined, then feel free to link to them. Hell, just try to find any NZ businesses advocating for the TPPA. They are rare enough.

      • Kevin 23.1.1
        17 August 2015 at 10:03 am

        “Because the useless restraint of treaty was still on the table.”

        Well that pretty much answers my question, thank you.

        “But if you know of any tangible advantages to businesses and the country outside of those I have outlined, then feel free to link to them. ”

        Can’t think of any and I wouldn’t have signed the TPPA as it is. My concern is that people are rejecting it out of principle rather than reason. I admit that prima-facie I’m for it because I believe free trade benefits us all. However I’m a pragmatist and currently there are far more costs to us than benefits with regards to the TPPA. In my opinion we have a long long way to go before the TPPA is anywhere near signable, and more than likely is a dead duck.

        [lprent: Don’t be daft, most people are rejecting it because it doesn’t pay the bills and appears not to be a trade agreement at all. What it looks like is some kind of meaningless diplomatic lovefest with high downstream costs.

        However you have also picked up a frustrated ban from me in the Corbyn post after I put a warning on way too many of your mornings comments.. ]

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