The government needs to stop the secrecy and be more open with the public and the online community on the international Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), industry lobby group Tech Liberty says.

The Ministry of Economic Development (MED) is working together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) on ACTA and representing New Zealand’s interests in the negotiations.

But Tech Liberty spokesperson Thomas Beagle said the secrecy around the draft was anti-democratic and “not how we do things in an open society like New Zealand”.

“Section 92A could be defeated because it followed our normal democratic process. ACTA is an attempt to work around this. It’s being negotiated in secret to avoid opposition.

“Both MFAT and MED say they have argued within ACTA to be more open, but some of the other countries involved wish to keep it secret for now. This is not the same as a defence treaty to go to Afghanistan. This needs open consultation, it’s not the fastest method but people need to be able to comment. There has been some consultation but they won’t tell us who they have consulted with.

“The New Zealand government should not be involved. There may need to be some changes to copyright law but secret treaties are not the way to go".,” Mr Beagle said.

“If ACTA can’t be negotiated in the open. New Zealand should have no part in it. Secrecy is the enemy of democracy and good government. New Zealand should withdraw from the ACTA negotiations until they are opened up for scrutiny.

Mr Beagle, who was at the briefing yesterday, said the reason MED and MFAT were against the industry seeing a copy was because other countries involved in the agreement we against it.

Tech Liberty’s David Zanetti; “We’re not opposed to copyright. Copyright law may need to be reformed to adjust to the new realities of the digital age but changes to the law must be done in an open and accountable fashion with everyone having a say.”

The agreement is being drafted between the US, Australia, Canada and the European Union. There have been rumours that some industry insiders in the US have seen the draft but had to sign a disclosure agreement before they could read it.