TPPA rally at parliament today

Written By: - Date published: 6:10 am, March 8th, 2018 - 10 comments
Categories: capitalism, democracy under attack, Economy, Free Trade, trade - Tags: , ,

Press Release from It’s Our Future:

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Rally at Parliament against signing of TPPA

“Protestors will gather outside Parliament at midday on Thursday 8 March to hear from a range of speakers in opposition to the TPPA signing ceremony in Chile,” says Oliver Hailes, spokesperson for It’s Our Future, New Zealand’s network of opponents to the TPPA and other anti-democratic economic treaties.

The line-up of speakers includes:

  • Green Party MP Golriz Ghahraman;
  • Māori activist and international indigenous rights advocate Catherine Murupaenga-Ikenn;
  • Generation Zero spokesperson Lisa McLaren;
  • Unions Wellington organiser Ben Peterson;
  • president of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Grant Brookes;
  • ActionStation campaigner Rick Zwann;
  • documentary maker Bryan Bruce; and
  • TPP Free Wellington spokesperson and business owner Antony Maddock.

Sandra Grey, president of the Tertiary Education Union, will serve as MC, and Mike Pike will provide music.

These speakers represent many perspectives on why New Zealand must continue to resist the TPPA.

Ms Ghahraman was the only voice in last week’s parliamentary debate who challenged the sudden shift in policy by the Labour Party and New Zealand First: “We need to make trade fair and fit to serve our needs in the 21st century, instead of ceding sovereignty to foreign investors.”

Ms Murupaenga-Ikenn speaks for “the imperilled voice of indigenous peoples and populations all around the world” as well as the “prominent economic, civil rights, environmental justice and other experts, academics and NGOs who have consistently called for state compliance with moral, legal and international standards regarding good governance and environmental and human rights”.

Mr Zwann will report on ActionStation’s recent independent poll, which confirmed last week that 75% of New Zealanders still want independent analysis before signing up.

Likewise, Ms McLaren says that Generation Zero wants “an independent analysis into whether the TPPA is compatible with the 2050 net-zero emissions target, as outlined by the Vivid Economics report and the envisioned Zero Carbon Act, before New Zealand ratifies the agreement”.

“Despite the rebrand and spin, people throughout Aotearoa are beginning to realise that nothing’s really changed,” Mr Hailes said. “Never again will we be kept in the dark while technocrats trade away control over our future. That’s why we’re still collecting signatures to let the Government know that we do not consent to the TPPA and that Parliament must reform its Standing Orders to increase democratic oversight of future treaty negotiations.”

Mr Hailes will hand over a parliamentary petition to Ms Ghahraman on behalf of the thousands of signatories who have endorsed the position of It’s Our Future.

10 comments on “TPPA rally at parliament today ”

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  1. Sparky 1
    8 March 2018 at 9:43 am

    Why was Ms Ghahraman the only Green MP to stand up and speak out? All praise to her but where is Shaw on this and the rest of the Greens? Disappointing……

  2. savenz 2
    8 March 2018 at 10:02 am

    Congratulations to all the speakers speaking out at this rally and their supporters. It’s a bad day in NZ history.

  3. Philg 3
    8 March 2018 at 1:52 pm

    A staunch and determined group at The Anti TPP rally at the Beehive today. Very good speeches. Green Party MP Golriz Ghahraman spoke of a loss of sovereignty,
    Māori activist and international indigenous rights advocate Catherine Murupaenga-Ikenn gave an impassioned call to consider the existential issues, and documentary maker Bryan Bruce spoke of the TPP making things worse for many kiwis, but good for Google, FBook, and Uber etc. The fight will continue.

    • Carolyn_Nth 3.1
      8 March 2018 at 6:09 pm

      Thanks for the report.

      Also, Press Release today from Don’t Do It NZ: “Cemented into the CP/TPP = Stuck in a 20th C Trade Treaty”

      As Labour MP David Parker prepares to sign the CPTPP trade deal in Chile, four (4) people have cemented themselves in place in front of Minister for Primary Industry, Damien O’Connor’s Labour Party office in Motueka. They say, “We want people and planet-friendly ethical trade rules.” Standing shin deep in concrete in Motueka, Dr. Joanna Santa Barbara, a co author of Our Climate Declaration*, states, “Don’t cement Kiwis into a deal where foreign corporations tell us what laws we can pass.”

      Reported on NZ City:

      In Christchurch, three women cemented themselves in place outside MP Ruth Dyson’s office at 2pm to protest the deal going ahead.

      One woman, dressed as Mr Parker, proclaimed that “after years of public opposition, the Labour Party is thrilled to cement New Zealand into the renamed CPTPP without the independent review we promised”.

      Audrey Young in NZ Herald:

      But Green MP Golriz Ghahraman addressed a protest rally of about 100 at Parliament today saying that the Government was indulging in “spin” to sell their switch in position.

      “It has been devastating to watch as the coalition parties have done such a complete turnaround, and have used what has essentially been spin to justify their turnaround on what is essentially the exact same agreement.”

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