TPPA threatens fight for income equality

While most of the country has been focused on the cricket world cup, cyclone Pam and tourists’ driving habits, Closing the Gap is reminding kiwis to say “no way” to the TPPA unless we know and accept what is going on.

The Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement continues to be negotiated behind closed doors, but Peter Malcolm, spokesperson for the income equality advocate group, fears the consequences of New Zealand signing up to it.

“First and foremost, we don’t know what the government is signing away because the deals are being made in secret. Only leaks from insiders and Snowden are telling us what is going on and the “look” is not good.

“Any agreement that will affect Pharmac, intellectual property laws, financial regulations and so on should be discussed with the citizens of New Zealand,” says Malcolm. These are substantial areas that are part of New Zealand’s sovereignty.”

Closing the Gap is particularly worried the TPPA’s influence on New Zealand’s already large gap between the rich and poor. Look at the effect of the NAFTA on inequality in Mexico.

“Respected academics like Professor Jane Kelsey of the University of Auckland and Associate Professor Jeff Sluka of Massey University are telling us that such trade agreements concentrate wealth in the hands of a few large corporations.

“The government might claim that the TPPA will bring economic growth, but that growth won’t trickle down to ordinary kiwis. Instead, we may be forced to buy more expensive medical drugs, lose the ability to buy from parallel importers, have our access to information restricted by harsh copyright laws, and have our Government sued by tobacco companies"

“The only people who will make money from this deal will be corporate lawyers and multinational corporations.”

Malcolm urges New Zealanders to find out what the TPPA is all about through organisations like It's Our Future

“Once you understand the impact this trade agreement will have on increasing inequality in NZ, it’s impossible to support it. We need to make sure the government knows that ordinary New Zealanders don’t want this.”

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