Raglan’s second rally against the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), was held at the jetty reserve at the foot of Bow St from 10am on Saturday 7 March. The event joined with New Zealanders in 21 cities and towns in nationwide action voicing their concerns about the TPPA negotiations.
Petitions were available for signing calling on the Waikato District Council and the Waikato Regional Council to take a stand on the issue.
The event started shortly after 10am with music from local kids using their home-made instruments. Lisa Thompson gave a welcome speech making the point that, “If people show they do know and do care, we can tip the balance on these talks, which are already dragging on and in trouble on intellectual property, agricultural subsidies, tariff elimination, and financial services.” Joan Havemann spoke passionately about the dangers of the agreement.
This was followed by singing a special NO TPPA version of the NZ National Anthem (in the context 0f continued secretive negotiating of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement)
We don’t want the T-PPA
taking sov’reign-t-y awayAnd transnationals holding sway —
Don’t give them a free hand!
Corporates thinking they are due
bigger profits plan to sue
our government (that’s me and you,
taxpayers of New Zealand).Let’s keep our own people employed
and health-n-safety rules that we’ve enjoyed
(threats to these get us annoyed!)Let’s defend our free land.
Clean and green let us remain —TPP won’t bring us economic gain
only increased costs and pain.Let’s defend New Zealand!
Pharmac would be forced to pay
more for drugs with the T——PPA:that’s one reason we all say
‘Let’s defend our free land!’GMOs would be in our food.
Our en-vir-on-ment would end up really screwed,seabed mined and drilled for crude.
Let’s defend New Zealand!People must come first, w-e say,
All our rights are not-to give away
Te Tiriti is here to stayLet’s defend our free land.
We will not give in and cower —
this could be our finest hour —
battle corporate greed and power!
Let’s defend New Zealand!
Other speakers included Mark Dobson and Te Pora and then live music followed at about 11.15 from Jo, Amelia and Nicky Keys.
In conjunction with the NO TPPA event, raft making for a ‘sink the TPPA’ raft, was going on for Sunday’s Recycled Raft Race.