Feb 1: TPPA chain bomb

TPPA chain bomb* – Monday 1 February (Auckland Anniversary) 4pm footbridge

The controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) is to be signed by the TPPA ministers on 4 February in Auckland.

What to do –

Please come early with banners (we need lots to hang both sides of the footbridge as a “Community #TPPAfreeZoneChallenge” and, if you like, join the chain-bomb at high tide, 4pm. Bring a camera and support us getting photos and videos to go viral on social media, so that more people notice and come to the march from Aotea Square, Auckland at noon on Thursday 4 February (are you going?). On Monday there’s no formal march or protest, but, being Auckland anniversary, there should be a good audience and a great family atmosphere at the beach.

Non-bombing Volunteers who want to help put up banners/signs, first aid (hope it’s not needed), or wear high viz vest in or near water, please come early to the gazebo near the bridge on the camp ground side.

Can you help with this petition asking the Governor General not to sign the TPPA legislation? Have you signed it online – http://www.actionstation.org.nz/dontsign?

What’s wrong with the TPPA –

Modelling by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade predicts a 0.9% ($2,700m a year) increase in GDP by 2030, ie. 47.9% growth by 2030 instead of 47%. But there are many flaws in that model –

• Only $259m a year is from tariff cuts and it assumes producers will get the whole of that and not have to share it with customers

• Modelling so far ahead is notoriously unreliable eg http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/294947/govt-deficit-higher-than-expected.

• 0.9% is minute compared to changes in commodity prices and exchange rates

• 0.6% isn’t from tariff cuts, but from Non-Tariff Barriers, yet the model doesn’t say what they are, nor whether they’re justified as legitimate regulation.

Set against that very dubious benefit, TPPA will –

• reduce employment

• increase inequality

• restrict exporters’ ability to label food as New Zealand and promote its quality

• lock in dairy tariff barriers in Japan, Canada and USA

• undermine World Trade Organisation agriculture negotiations, which could reduce the subsidies which disadvantage our unsubsidised exports

• favour the business practices of US multinationals, to the disadvantage of local firms

• impose US-centric rules on intellectual property and dispute settlement, which are likely to be out of step with our major markets in China and the EU

• limit governments’ ability to solve problems with health, education, inequality, housing and the environment due to Investor State Dispute Settlement

For more detail see https://tpplegal.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/ep5-economics.pdf.

To see the Raglan event on Facebook go to https://www.facebook.com/events/1295538900471597/.

To find out more about TPPA campaigns go to http://itsourfuture.org.nz/.

Please help spread the news!

* Bomb: – A jump into water in a squatting position, with the arms wrapped around the legs, for maximum splashing. Not the other sort of bomb!