Diplomats and politicians are arriving in Auckland for Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations - and opponents are preparing to protest over the influence of the United States and tobacco companies.Negotiations on the TPP - a proposed free trade agre
Diplomats and politicians are arriving in Auckland for Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations - and opponents are preparing to protest over the influence of the United States and tobacco companies.
Negotiations on the TPP - a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between New Zealand, the US, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam -- will be held in Auckland this week.
A protest will be held this morning outside the Sky City convention centre in Auckland, the first in a series of events organised by opponents.
In an open letter to Prime Minister John Key and his Australian counterpart, Julia Gillard, Auckland University's Jane Kelsey said the US was looking to include the rules and enforcement mechanisms contained in previous US FTAs including the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta).
"We know from the experience in the US, Canada and Mexico that the Nafta model eliminates the crucial policy space that our governments need to address the employment, climate, financial and energy crises that will dominate the next century," she said.
Letter co-author Harvey Pulse said tobacco company Philip Morris had used clauses in a similar FTA to sue the government of Uruguay when it tried to introduce restrictions on tobacco advertising.
Green Party co-leader Russel Norman was also concerned that a poor TPP agreement would allow tobacco companies to prevent New Zealand tightening restrictions on tobacco.
"Most New Zealanders would be shocked to learn that the huge multinational tobacco company, Philip Morris, is using trade agreements to try to stop governments from introducing anti-smoking measures."
Dr Norman said the Government should not be stupid enough to sign an FTA which would allow a similar thing to happen here.
Other concerns raised by opponents were the undermining of Pharmac and subsequent rises in drug prices, increased foreign investment and ownership, less regulation in the finance sector and agricultural issues.
Members of the Council of Trade Unions (CTU), the National Distribution Union and Unite Union would be amongst those protesting tomorrow.
CTU economist Bill Rosenberg said trade would only be a small part of TPP negotiations.
The big issue for New Zealand would be getting agriculture exports into the US, he said.
That would not be easy and was likely to be opposed by the US.
"Any access will not come free...we will have to pay for it."
That could include through reduced control over foreign investment higher costs for medicines or greater pressures to privatise, he said.
The TPP began life as an FTA between New Zealand, Singapore and Chile in 2002. Since then it has grown to include nine countries with Canada, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea and Taiwan also showing an interest.
