Labour government to sign TPPA today

NZ to sign CPTPP today in Chile

The argy-bargy over America's proposed tariffs on steel and aluminium is set to briefly take a back seat as 11 nations sign the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact.

Trade Minister David Parker will join his counterparts from 10 Pacific countries for the signing ceremony in Chile on Thursday.

The deal had been on life support after the United States' withdrawal but was resuscitated in January.

The deal will eliminate 98 percent of tariffs in a marketplace worth close to $14 trillion.

Mr Parker said the deal would give Kiwi businesses preferential access to Japan - the third biggest economy in the world - Canada, Mexico and Peru for the first time.

The deal had also "increased in importance because of growing threats to the effective operation of the World Trade Organisation", he said.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade's estimates, the deal is expected to give a $1.2 billion to $4b boost to New Zealand's real gross domestic product.

This included almost $86 million in expected tariff savings for the dairy industry, while the country's exporters would save about $200m in reduced tariffs to Japan alone.

Fast facts about the Trans-Pacific Partnership 11:

The TPP 11 includes Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

US President Donald Trump pulled America out of the deal a year ago after describing it as "a continuing rape of our country".

The TPP was a key policy of the former Obama administration's so-called foreign policy pivot to Asia.

Some opponents of the TPP fear it opens doors for companies to sue governments for policies that harm their investments. The deal has a controversial investor-state dispute settlement clause.

China isn't part of the TPP and is trying to get up a rival deal with seven TPP countries, including New Zealand, and eight others. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership is much narrower and less ambitious than the TPP.

Let’s be clear – when Labour & NZ First sign the TPPA this week – it will be as cheap traitors for less than 30 pieces of silver

This deal is for those corporate interests who wish to exploit the pristine base products we produce, it is not about us protecting our future

By Martyn Bradbury

the Daily Blog,

7 March, 2018

In the week Labour and NZ First sign the TPPA, let’s ask agin who is the TPPA for?

Is it for NZ or for corporate power trumping domestic political sovereignty?

It is without a doubt the latter and not the former.

The reason this is still being rammed through is testament to the truth that the Ministries run this Government and it is not the Government in charge of the Ministries.

Let’s be crystal clear. This is NOT a trade deal, it could have been, there’s a chance to fight it tooth and nail through the parliamentary process until it is, but right now it is not a trade deal.

The reason this is still being rammed through is testament to the truth that the Ministries run this Government and it is not the Government in charge of the Ministries.

Let’s be crystal clear. This is NOT a trade deal, it could have been, there’s a chance to fight it tooth and nail through the parliamentary process until it is, but right now it is not a trade deal.

This is about corporate power over domestic political sovereignty.

This is about ensuring water can be taken out of our country.

This is about making sure foreign interests can trump domestic ones.

This is about making sure environmental safe guards can’t stop international interests.

This is about Pharmaceutical Trans National interests.

This is about copyright powers.

This is about the ability of our Government to pass legislation with the constant threat of being sued.

And how much are we getting to sell our souls to our Corporate Overlords?

What is the price of the 30 pieces of silver we are gaining for this capitulation to our own political Tino rangatiratanga?

In 20 years the TPPA will have given us .3%-1% growth in GDP, that is the fucking pathetic price we are prepared to sell ourselves out for…

Little economic benefit

The National Interest Analysis (NIA) reveals that the economic benefits of TPP-11 will be small, even if some of the exaggerated assumptions are included. The NIA estimates overall benefits will be only 0.3 – 1.0% growth in GDP by the time the TPP is fully implemented, in 20 years’ time.

This compares with a GDP growth of 61% in 20 years’ time without TPP-11 (using Treasury long term forecasts).

The headline from the media that there would be up to $4bn benefit from the TPP-11 uses exaggerated assumptions and ignores the timeframe. In reality, an additional 0.3 – 1.0% by 2038 from TPP-11 is a very small benefit.

This is shown in the data:

• Tariff reductions of $222m per year are 0.4% of overall exports and 1.1% agricultural exports
• They are mainly concentrated in commodities, rather than in value-added processed goods or complex manufacturers that are important to our economic future
• Tariff reductions for dairy and beef fall short of the ‘gold standard’ treaty originally promised
• Tariff reductions for dairy are 0.7% of overall dairy exports

The argument in the NIA that exports to China grew after we signed an FTA ignores the context. There was huge growth in commodity exports from Australia, Brazil and other exporters to China, whether or not they had signed an FTA. It is disingenuous to claim this as a likely scenario for exports under TPP-11.

…how spineless is that?

We are selling out for commodity exports with no added value and no future agency.

This deal is for those corporate interests who wish to exploit the pristine base products we produce, it is not about us protecting our future.

On a planet with trade wars, economic crashes and environmental apocalypses looming we need to have our hand firmly on the tiller of the nation, this deal allows over seas interests to direct our hand.

It is not acceptable.

It must be fought.

Labour and NZ First have had enough time, they can’t be excused any longer.

Trump says will quit TPP on day one of presidency

Want some potentially good news?

Parochial reporting from Radio NZ.

Trump details plan to dump TPP on day one

United States President-elect Donald Trump will withdraw the country from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) on his first day in office with an executive action, he says.

Radio NZ,

22 November, 2016

Mr Trump released a video today laying out actions he would take on his first day in office on 20 January, including withdrawing the US from the free trade deal.

That included issuing a notification of intent to withdraw from the TPP, instead negotiating with countries bilaterally.

He also said he would issue a rule cutting government regulations, direct the Labor Department to investigate abuses of visa programs, and cancel some restrictions on energy production, including shale oil and gas and coal.

He said he would reduce regulations by passing a law requiring two to be removed for every new regulation enacted.

On his plan to as he called it "drain the swamp" of corrupt politicians in Washington, he would impose a five-year ban on executive officials becoming lobbyists after leaving the administration and a lifetime ban on those officials lobbying on behalf of foreign governments.

Mr Trump has said he was not opposed to trade deals, but would sign only those he considers best for America.

In his victory speech, he said the US will "get along" with all countries willing to get along with it.

At the APEC summit in Peru this week, countries which have signed up to TPP, including New Zealand, expressed disappointment over Mr Trump's intentions to pull the US out.

President Barack Obama also said that not moving ahead with TPP would undermine America's position across the Asia-Pacific region. Mr Obama championed the TPP as a way to counter China's rise.

Prime Minister John Key has said he is still prepared to push on with the TPP, even without the US.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King

Mr Key said at the APEC summit that if the TPP stood without the US, New Zealand could still reap about two-thirds of the $2.7 billion in estimated benefits.

The TPP agreement includes 12 nations including Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam as well as New Zealand and the US.

Of those, New Zealand currently does not have free trade agreements with the US, Japan, Mexico, Canada or Peru.

The proposed deal was finalised between the 12 nations in Auckland in February.

New Zealand's government has already signed the legislation allowing the country to join the agreement, though it remains the only country to have done so.

Trade Minister Todd McClay said at the time he acknowledged there would be obstacles to the agreement coming into force, but that New Zealand would give the new US administration time to fully consider its trade agenda.

New Zealand Trade Minister Todd McClay Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson

The New Zealand Labour and Green parties opposed the bill.

The TPP has faced protests and opposition, particularly over a provision giving corporations greater rights to sue governments for introducing legislation that harmed their investments.

China has been pushing for its own TPP-like trade agreement, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which involved 16 nations.

Negotiations on RCEP have been continuing for three years.

The nations involved include Brunei-Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, China, India, Japan, Korea, and New Zealand.

(Rare) commonsense on the TPPA

New Zealand, New Zealand, New Zealand. Don't you go worrying your pretty head about anything this Government is doing on your behalf. Remember to have an optimistic, aspirational look around you once in a while, and say, "What a great country I live in".

Don't ever ask questions.
The shit we live in a great country! 
We used to. It is well along the path of being destroyed.

There are some videos that go with this. To watch them go to the original article

What could possibly go wrong with the TPP?

Dita De Boni

NZ Herald,

31 July, 2015

New Zealand, New Zealand, New Zealand. Don't you go worrying your pretty head about anything this Government is doing on your behalf. Remember to have an optimistic, aspirational look around you once in a while, and say, "What a great country I live in".

Don't ever, ever worry that we are about to be sold down the river in Hawaii, where 12 countries are in the middle of agreeing to the Trans-Pacific Partnership. You don't need to know what's in it. We ourselves barely know, as we change our story by the day, but all you need to remember is a) we are great economic managers, and b) America, which holds almost all of the bargaining power, wants us to succeed economically almost more than we do.

ViIt has ruled out a couple of things - it won't let us grow our dairy exporting trade too much; "something something software" that few of us understand; and it won't let us operate Pharmac the way we're doing it. It'll also allow corporations to sue us when they don't like the way we change our laws.

But that last one, at least, is easily fixed. Keep electing us, because we're much more amenable to legislating to make big, litigious corporations feel comfortable. Problem solved. Boom.

Nation, despite all the leftie whining you're hearing, we're relaxed about what the TPP will mean for you, the consumer.

I mean, you'll still be paying $5 per prescription well into the future. It'll just be more of your tax dollars, not your purse and wallet dollars, used more to pay off global pharmaceutical concerns. So that's totally cool.

We're positive about the continued privatisation of our social services, and see absolutely no reason to change course whatsoever. The problems at Mt Eden prison, for example, were just a particular set of circumstances that happened to occur in that microclimate. I mean, those things will only happen where you have a private company paid enormous sums to run a complex, expensive public service at cost, with fewer staff, totally disconnected from any incentive to genuinely rehabilitate people back into the community, and kept in check only by themselves.

In fact, we're so calm with the Serco situation that our Corrections Minister, Sam Lotu-Iiga, says he's "not worried" a Mt Eden Serco prison guard's been arrested as part of Head Hunters raids. We're so relaxed about it that Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says she'd still be happy to offer contracts to Serco to run social services for vulnerable children. Be positive and aspirational for the children for a change, why don't you!

We've also said repeatedly that the problems at Mt Eden prison are absolutely no worse than what might happen in publicly owned prisons across New Zealand. Some then whine: "Why bother privatising these services if - at the very least - they can't be run better than those run publicly?" It's the kind of question we always get from negative nellies on the left.

Well, we find this question seriously annoying, and will ignore it. It should be apparent that privatisation is immeasurably better - look at charter schools. (Don't look too closely.)

The privatisation of our social services is happening apace. One way this will be achieved, in the health sector at least, is to put our own, hand-picked appointees on each district health board, in preparation for the gradual privatisation of our health system. It's happening in England and we want to emulate those amazing outcomes (for business) right here in New Zealand. We hope it'll be something like our hand-picked people on Environment Canterbury, allowing for a fast throughput of business deliverables. Or our people at Cera, who will hopefully get out of the way and allow private partners and overseas companies to swoop up vital civic assets, prime Christchurch land - and fix crumbling infrastructure, with any luck.

Yes, the economy is slowing down. Sure there is milk powder stockpiled in China and foodbanks are busier than ever.

But we're listening to the concerns of the people, and we're chilled about how these problems will resolve themselves.

Above all, remember the words of economic guru Bill English, who at the National Party's recent annual conference in Auckland, put it in perspective. Slowing economic growth would not derail the party's re-election chances in 2017, he said, because, luckily, it came at the right time in the electoral cycle. Boo-yah!

For the greatest commonsense and reliable information listen to Prof. Jane Kesley

Jane Kelsey makes 

mincemeat of Mike Hosking

Address to 'Middle Earth'

Open message to the Middle Classes about the threat of the TPPA…

Frank McSkasy,

6 December, 2012

… never mind.

Go back to your reality TV and talkback radio.


John Key – our beloved smiling Dear Leader – is about to sign us up to a  “free” trade agreement that will undermine Pharmac (and increase the cost of our medicines). You see, Pharmac is the envy of the world and allows us, as a country, to bulk-buy cheap medicines once their patents have expired.


Pharmaceutical companies hate it. They’ll be looking at the TPPA to stop this and make Pharmac more “transparent”. (By “transparent”, that means opening up ourselves  to lawsuits by foreign companies.)


But never mind, there’s a great cooking show on Prime TV – Masterchef  Uzbekhistan, I think.


Meanwhile, the TPPA (Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement) is being negotiated in secret, behind closed doors. We won’t know what’s in it until thwe final document is presented to Parliament. Whereupon National, John “Cabbage Boat” Banks, and Peter Dunne, will pass it into law.


Hey, there’s a marvelous home improvement show on TV2 (or TV3? TV5? Oh, they’re all the same) called “Garden Shed 60 Second Challenge…


Once the TPPA is enacted into law, it will open the door to corporations suing us, as a nation, if we doing anything wrong to impact on their profits. I kid you not.This is how a tobacco company sued the Australian government over the plain-packaging policy that was about to be implemented. (The tobacco company lost. But only because the case was tried on Australian soil; under Australian jurisdiction, and laws. The TPPA lawsuits will be carried out in secret, by overseas Tribunals.)


It’s part of the agreement relating to investor’s rights”, as outlined in this leaked, draft copy;
.


Source: http://www.citizenstrade.org/ctc/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/tppinvestment.pdf
.
No, no, go back to your TV… or Talkback Radio. I hear Michael Laws is having another go at dem Mow-rees, or gang patches, or whatever he happens to be wanking on about tonight. Because gang-patches, as we all know, is Really Important Stuff that we need to be Really Concerned About.


So while our country is sold out from under us; and jobs are exported to some Third World country; and our kids can’t find work so have to bugger off to Australia (which is rejecting the Investor-State lawsuit Section, I might add, because our Aussie cuzzies aren’t quite as gullible as we are) – just think about what is Really Really Important…


Home Improvement; cooking; and other Reality TV shows on nearly every free-to-air TV channel, plus SKY!! How f*****g cool is that?!


And for all you guys out there with mother-daughter fantasies, the Ridges might be back on TV3 next year!! Woohoo!!


Well, I’m glad we’ve cleared up what is important in our lives.

As John Key said to me in a hall in Lower Hutt, last year,

“Don’t you worry about asset sales or anything. It’ll all be alright.”

So, what’s on TV tonight, my sleepy little Hobbits?


For the leaked TPP documents GO HERE