National Government Hides TPP Terms

-

I have learned through experience that often when information is withheld because of commercial sensitivities it is generally because of other reasons. I have already expressed concerns about the secret TPP negotiations and the potential threat to Pharmac due to the intense lobbying by pharmaceutical companies.

Unless National is more open about what they are prepared to trade off in the negotiations we will be voting blind, this is too an important issue to leave to a party thats is prepared to sell our state assets for a quick buck, we need some assurance that they can be tough when act in our interests! The US and other countries party to this agreement have been more open about the terms and yet we have a void of information ourselves except for a leaked document that gives great cause for concern.

Pharmac is the envy of the United States people who are often financially crippled by their drug bills and it looks as if we will soon be suffering from a similar situation.

Russel Norman has some strong words for John Key and I'm sure voters need some answers before voting on the 26th:


Key must come clean about TPP and Pharmac before election
John Key needs to be absolutely clear with the New Zealand public before the election about whether he would trade off Pharmac in the interest of signing the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman said today.

Three United States-proposed texts from the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade negotiations were leaked over the weekend. These texts - which normally would have been withheld from the public for four years - would negatively impact on New Zealand's drug buying agency Pharmac if adopted.

"Pharmac is seen by United States drug companies as a threat," said Dr Norman.

"Pharmac's buying power and use of cheaper generic drugs assists New Zealanders get affordable access to life saving medicines.

The US proposals would open up Pharmac's decision making to litigation from United States patent attorneys, and it would extend the life of drug patents, restricting Pharmac's ability to use cheaper generics.

"Signing an agreement in secret that would weaken Pharmac is not in our long term interests," said Dr Norman.

"The Trans-Pacific Partnership could impact on New Zealanders' ability to receive medicine and severely affect our already stretched health budget.

"Signing up to the Trans-Pacific Partnership will have far reaching effects on our abilities to make laws and regulations.

"This is no ordinary trade deal. It is less about getting market access for our products and more about giving new rights to foreign companies that will undermine good Kiwi initiatives like Pharmac.

"New Zealanders should be thankful that someone with a conscience has leaked these negotiating papers," said Dr Norman.

"Otherwise the New Zealand public would have had to wait four years to find out what our Government was willing to sacrifice for the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement."

Comments

Robert Winter said…
Being kept firmly under wraps until after the election because there are so many fish-hooks. On the other hand, the US has an agenda than many participants can't stomach and there has to be a possibility of it falling over.
October 25, 2011 at 11:30 PM
Dave Kennedy said…
Quite agree, Robert. For many New Zealanders voting will be like fly fishing while blind. Lots of flailing around in the dark, resulting in fish hooks catching us in sensitive places and being very difficult to detach.
October 26, 2011 at 12:46 AM
Robert Winter said…
Not if you bring the rod back firmly, but not too fast, to 5 minutes to, then let the line and cast extend, working the rod as they do, before bringing the rod to five minutes past briskly, yet not too fast, to allow the fly to fall like thistledown in front of the unsuspecting trout.
October 26, 2011 at 7:12 AM
Dave Kennedy said…
Easy thing to say if you're sighted and you can actually cast into a river, but if blind the fly is more likely to land on a road of "National" significance and get run over by a milk tanker!
October 26, 2011 at 4:41 PM
Robert Winter said…
I have learned something today.
October 26, 2011 at 11:56 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The US is actually unique for not valuing life!

-
Image
"...that’s what sets America apart from every other country; we value life. That is what makes us unique.” - Sarah Sanders There is a high level of delusion operating in the White House. The stream of mistruths that come out of President Trump and Sarah Sanders' mouths are clearly blatant lies but millions of US citizens believe them. With daily diets of Fox News and living in a very insular culture , there is little that challenges these false perceptions of US "greatness".  When comparing the United States of America with most other developed nations it becomes clear that it probably places less value on life than most and doesn't compare well with many developing countries too: If the US really valued life then it would abolish the death penalty, it is the only Western Country that executes people under law ( 23 people were executed in 2018 ).  If the US really valued life then it would have an equitable and universal health care system. The cur
Read more

The Destruction of New Zealand's Public Education System

-
Image
In 2008 New Zealand was internationally ranked in the top seven for educational achievement, and when you compared us with other countries that were also culturally diverse and experiencing growing inequality, we were extremely successful. At that time our Early Childhood sector had received a much overdue boost in funding from the Labour Government after being underfunded (as a % of GDP) compared to other OECD nations for years. The sector was working towards a target of having 100% qualified teachers in all centres. We were also in the process of implementing a new National Curriculum and a complementary curriculum for Maori ( Te Marautanga o Aotearoa ). Teachers were excited about putting all their energies into the new ideas and approaches that were espoused in these co-constructed documents that had taken around seven years to review and write. Evidence, research and practitioner input had created something that would allow us to prepare New Zealand children to become
Read more

ANZAC DAY REFLECTIONS

-
Image
I find ANZAC Day creates a dilemma for me, consequently I rarely attend dawn parades. I fully support people recognising the human cost of wars and remembering family members who lost their lives on battlefields. A grandfather of mine fought in WW1 and was gassed in the French trenches, which compromised his health for the rest of his life. His wife (my grandmother) lost her young brother in WW2. The sacrifices and human costs of war should never be minimalised. However, while speeches at ANZAC parades are full of statements promoting peace and the futility of war, those who campaign hardest for peace, promote nonviolence and call for weapons reductions are often treated like criminals. Anyone who dares to mention our own war crimes or that of our allies are generally shut down or demonised. It has become a sort of cultural heresy to question the reputation and glorification of the ANZACs.  I would love to see greater balance in how we talk about war and properly recognise those who ha
Read more