Thanks Wikileaks

Written By: - Date published: 12:05 pm, November 14th, 2013 - 38 comments
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Wikileaks have released the TPP advanced draft chapter on intellectual property. It includes all the government positions on the main issues, including all those where the New Zealand negotiators are opposed to the US. The Herald received an advance copy and reported on it today. The crucial paragraphs from their article:

A target of Christmas for concluding the agreement was set by President Barack Obama last year and was reconfirmed at the TPP leaders’ meeting in Bali in October. However the wide differences evident between the US and New Zealand mean someone would have to back down on national interest provisions – or the US back down – for there to be any prospect of the agreement being concluded. More than 100 issues are unresolved.

A coalition of groups, ranging from Internet New Zealand to Trade Me and the Library Association, have opposed the agreement. The Fairdeal Coalition’s spokeswoman Susan Chalmers said the New Zealand negotiators have been sticking up for the country and called on the Government to support them. “If New Zealand caves on the intellectual property chapter,” she said, “it will face inevitable economic, cultural and social losses that in the long-term will likely outweigh any gains from improved agricultural access.”

As citizens we should all support our New Zealand negotiators and insist that  the Key government does not cave in once again to US interests. The stakes are too high.

38 comments on “Thanks Wikileaks ”

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  1. Puckish Rogue 1
    14 November 2013 at 12:46 pm

    Wikileaks showed National fighting for NZs interests so something good did come out of it I guess

    • Draco T Bastard 1.1
      14 November 2013 at 1:02 pm

      You don’t actually know that and it won’t be known until the chapter has been properly analysed. Suffice to say that all I’ve seen from National so far is them fighting in the best interests of foreign corporations.

    • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 1.2
      14 November 2013 at 2:21 pm

      Who are the negotiators? (or is that secret too?)

      I believe some of the negotiators are ministers from the current government, however Susan Chalmers request for the government to support the negotiators’ position indicates that the negotiators and the government are separate.

      Anyone know who they are? I’ve been searching but haven’t found the answer yet.

      • alwyn 1.2.1
        14 November 2013 at 3:08 pm

        For crying out load.
        Look who Susan Chalmers represents and you will see why she tries to pretend that the Government isn’t involved and that it is some independent group negotiating things IN SPITE of the Government.
        Her own political leanings make it impossible for her to give any credit at all to the current Government.

        • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 1.2.1.1
          14 November 2013 at 3:32 pm

          O.k Alwyn, I looked her up.

          From a A Fair Deal

          “Changing our copyright laws in ways that restrict the open Internet and economic opportunity are unfair to citizens, businesses, creators, and civil society organizations. Not only could such changes raise prices for users of copyright works, but they could also stifle our knowledge economy and chill innovation. “

          …yes could see why Susan Chalmers might have conflicting interests with the NZ government… /irony

          • Sacha 1.2.1.1.1
            14 November 2013 at 8:27 pm

            The agreement is mostly negotiated by govt staff, then the Ministers step in at the end.

            The former have done a good job so far on our behalf, whereas the latter are likely to give up the gold for a sideways glance from those dashing Yanks.

    • Tracey 1.3
      14 November 2013 at 2:42 pm

      So far so good.

      With Merkel being tapped by the USA there are no secrets and no need for confidentiality in the TPPA because the big players already know the positions of the others.

      So, maybe the time has come fro Groser to say “fuck the faux confidentiality, let’s release this thing and have an open debate.”

      from the OP

      “or the US back down – for there to be any prospect of the agreement being concluded…”

      And because the US has a history of making very few real concessions it’s unlikely they will ever conclude it. You only have to look at the lengths it goes to disguise its agricultural subsidies to know they wont open up markets vital to us.

  2. Pascal's bookie 2
    14 November 2013 at 12:56 pm

    Funny though eh.

    how it all absolutely had to be secret or it just couldn’t work nope.

    And we see what is still being negotiated.

    And all we hear is, “It’ll be great. Loadsa money, think about that US market”

    Something was gonna get traded, they were just still talking about what.

    But now it’s open, I guess it’s all off because, reasons.

  3. exkiwiforces 3
    14 November 2013 at 1:09 pm

    I had a WTF moment early this morning at work when I was reading it on the Stuff website and the only thing that I could come up with was F*** off Yanks.

    • Pascal's bookie 3.1
      14 November 2013 at 1:13 pm

      That shoudl pretty much be our negotiating position.

      If the spin on it is correct, and it’s the yanks vs everyone else, then the yanks should be told here’s the deal; sign or fuck off.

  4. Paul 4
    14 November 2013 at 1:24 pm

    The Herald gets leaked the TPP secret chapters by Wikileaks
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11156737

    ..then realises it has to explain what the TPP is to its readers as it has signally failed to tell them about the deal for the past 2 years.

    Beginner’s guide: What is the TPP? – National – NZ Herald News http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11157100

    The fact that it is giving its readers a beginners’ guide says so much about how poorly the paper has kept us informed. Indeed, if Wikileaks hadn’t actually sent the Herald the secret chapter, you wonder if the paper would have bothered.

    Also interesting to see what the 10 things are the Herald deems you should know about the TPP.

  5. amirite 5
    14 November 2013 at 1:47 pm

    The Nats will be waiting till the election without signing, but if god forbid they win the election, Pharmac goes, and the TPP agreement gets signed.

    Mark my words.

    • infused 5.1
      14 November 2013 at 4:14 pm

      Read the article you dumbass. It’s not going anywhere. Infact, that was one position NZ was really pushing.

      The TPPA will never go anywhere.

  6. The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 6
    14 November 2013 at 1:51 pm

    But I thought National was in the pay of big corporations and in the pocket of the Americans. Why haven’t they caved?

  7. Bill 7
    14 November 2013 at 2:03 pm

    Oddly, given that the market operates through securing advantage…ie, ripping people off…all 12 countries claim it will boost their economy. Now, how the fck could that possibly work out?

    All that can happen is that the already more powerful get to do more ripping off and the already weaker get to be more ripped off.

    Or is there some magical money tree thingee that I’m not seeing?

    • Puckish Rogue 7.1
      14 November 2013 at 2:37 pm

      Or is there some magical money tree thingee that I’m not seeing?

      – Ask the Greens, they know where it is

      • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 7.1.1
        14 November 2013 at 2:55 pm

        Puck, you are so onto it – the Greens do consistently display a greater understanding of how to make this society function more effectively…I agree; best listen to their ideas.

      • Tracey 7.1.2
        14 November 2013 at 3:00 pm

        The US and the UK currently practice quantitative easing as previously espoused by the co-leader of the Greens. Mr Key’s testicles, such as they are, do not permit him to cal the former “loonies” or “funny money” pushers.

        “The Green Party has abandoned its policy of quantitative easing – otherwise known as printing money – after almost a year of punishing backlash from political opponents.” Audrey Young 2013

        • Colonial Viper 7.1.2.1
          14 November 2013 at 3:04 pm

          Its actually better if the Government spends the money into circulation on “Main St” instead of doing QE.

          Reason being that QE requires the buying up of bad assets from banksters in exchange for giving the banksters sweet new freshly created dollars. Which the banksters typically pile into casino “Wall St” games ASAP in order to support stock market levitation.

      • Paul 7.1.3
        14 November 2013 at 5:15 pm

        PR and other paid puppet’s attacks on the Greens would suggest their neo-liberal masters are concerned that the Green’s policies are a genuine threat to their looting of the economy.
        Each time you hear an expression like the Green Taleban, you know they’re worried.

    • Rogue Trooper 7.2
      14 November 2013 at 2:38 pm

      Linz seed Bill.

    • Colonial Viper 7.3
      14 November 2013 at 2:54 pm

      A bit of magic neofeudal fairy dust, neoliberally sprinkled.

  8. Tim 8
    14 November 2013 at 2:50 pm

    Surely any representative government wouldn’t sign the bloody thing if only on the basis that the thing is designed to be a litigant’s paradise!
    FFS! Take a step back. That old saying about wood and trees seems apt

  10. xtasy 10
    14 November 2013 at 7:45 pm

    Where would we be without Wikileaks, I ask?

    Good on them, and good on those raising questions about the TPPA.

    Yes, it is yet more proof of this government doing “back-room deals”, or trying to do more of these, and leaving the populace in the dark.

    Feel damned ashamed, National government and MPs!

  11. xtasy 11
    14 November 2013 at 7:51 pm

    “I can smell the uranium on it!”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeHTziiFVx0

    Remember, and what “pressures” that NZ faces, day in and out, and it is time to again take a clear stand!!!

    • BM 11.1
      14 November 2013 at 7:56 pm

      Lange was a pompous ass, more interested in his own ego than being a decent PM.

      • xtasy 11.1.1
        14 November 2013 at 8:11 pm

        “pompous ass”, now to think of your suggestion, have you failed to look into the mirror today???

      • Murray Olsen 11.1.2
        16 November 2013 at 6:03 pm

        There may be an element of truth to what you say about Lange, but the ego bit applies far more to Key.

        • ropata 11.1.2.1
          17 November 2013 at 12:21 am

          Lange was a decent bloke from Mangere who wanted to help NZ emerge from Muldoonism.
          Sadly Lange (and the nation) was betrayed by neoliberal assholes. Douglas, Prebble, Caygill, Bassett carved up the social fabric, caused massive needless suffering and disenfranchised a generation.

  12. Fappity 12
    15 November 2013 at 6:52 am

    Waste of time trying to negotiate free trade with USA better that all the countries sign the fta they want and leave the USA to themselves

  13. tricledrown 13
    16 November 2013 at 7:31 am

    Out of that pompus ass came a
    Bowel Movement a hard ACT to follow!