TPPWatch Action Bulletin #4 – 19 February 2012

Asset Sales & TPPA Protest Targets United Future’s Peter Dunne
Saturday 18 February saw the first action in a ‘People’s Power’ campaign in the Ohariu electorate to challenge Peter Dunne’s support of partial state asset sales, linked to the lack of any idea about how the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) and other so-called free trade and investment agreements may adversely affect the process. Radio NZ reported that “Mr Dunne has refused to comment.” Next step is to set up the Ohariu Citizen’s Select Committee on Asset Sales and the TPPA.
See http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1202/S00171/ongoing-activism-on-asset-sales-targets-ohariu-electorate.htm

Education union voices TPPA concerns to Education Minister
PPTA wrote to Education Minister Hekia Parata on 9 February linking increasing use of private companies to provide public education services with investor-enforcement rights under a TPPA through unaccountable international tribunals.
Can other unions do the same?


NZ Computer Society Breakfast on Copyright
“MEGA-BREAKFAST: The up[load]s and down[load]s of Copyright Infringement”, 29 February 2012 7.30-9.00am. Speakers: prominent IT Lawyer Rick Shera, InternetNZ CEO Vikram Kumar, and Professor Jane Kelsey. More Info and Registration


The TPPA, te Tiriti and privatisation of SOEs
Concerns about the TPPA featured at a number of hui on the privatisation of SOEs that the government held around the country.  An updated Tiriti leaflet can be downloaded here.


TPPA and Alcohol Policy – the elephant in the room
A new paper by Jane Kelsey to the Global Alcohol Policy Conference in Bangkok last week shows how a TPPA could give added leverage to the alcohol lobby to prevent further restrictions on alcohol along the lines the Law Commission recommended in 2010.
A popular version will follow for use with people who want tighter alcohol policies and laws.


3 Events in Melbourne for next TPPA round – March 1, March 5, March 8
1. Public Forum Fair Trade or Free Trade? Thursday 1st March – 6:00-8:00pm RMIT City Campus, Building 56, Level 4, Room 81, Corner of Queensberry and Lygon Streets. Entrance on Queensberry Street. Sponsored by the ACTU and AFTINET.
2. Public Forum TPPA and Access to Medicines Monday 5th March – 6:00-7:30pm University of Melbourne, Executive Lounge, 1st Floor, Alan Gilbert Building, 161 Barry Street, Melbourne. Sponsored by the Public Health Association of Australia.
3. Lunch Time Rally Fair Deal or No Deal Thursday 8th March – 12:30 to 1:15pm Forecourt of the Melbourne Entertainment and Exhibition Centre, enter from the Convention Centre Place or from Clarendon Street. Sponsored by Victorian Trades Hall Council.
A facebook page for the protests: http://www.facebook.com/events/373973035949346/
Let your mates in OZ know! For more information see http://aftinet.org.au/cms/trans-pacific-partnership-agreement/trans-pacific-partnership-agreement

Media & Blogs
James Murray, TV3 news blog, ‘The TPP and what it could mean for you’: Free trade with America! Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? … But of course, there’s no such thing as a ‘free trade’ and the current negotiations surrounding the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) have many worried about the US’s intentions …. http://www.3news.co.nz/The-TPP-and-what-it-could-mean-for-you/tabid/1038/articleID/240335/Default.aspx#ixzz1mlMAmn1X
Lisa Er, Waiheke Times, ‘Do We Need A Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Agreement?’: Hiding in our corridors of power, under negotiation, is an insidious international ‘free trade’ treaty that goes against everything that democracy stands for. This TPPA threatens the future of New Zealand as an independent nation, and yet we are not allowed to know what is on the table for discussion. …. http://www.theawarenessparty.com/?page_id=2764
Nigel Stirling, RadioNZ Insight, 12 Feb, ‘China, the US and NZ’: An arm wrestle between China and the US for influence in the region is underway, with the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations centre stage. Tim Groser says NZ will pull out of TPPA talks if they become a vehicle to contain the rise of China …
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/insight/20120212
Follow Lisa’s example and write articles or letters to editor about TPPA for your local paper, contribute to blogs, comment on newspaper articles, etc.

International supporters
TPPWatch has an international fan base! Read what some supporters have to say at:
http://tppwatch.org/international-supporters-speak/


Our US friends’ sent a Valentine note to their trade negotiator …

Are you one of the 600 corporations that have exclusive access to the secret texts of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement? If you do, send U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk a Valentine. http://www.facebook.com/pages/TPP-Secret-Love-Affair/245585482189267?sk=app_208195102528120′

Please update us on news and local activities
Please share TPP activities or good articles: contact Mary Ellen oconstance[at]gmail.com (the bulletin) and/or Hannah tppwatch[at]gmail.com (the website);
Find out more about the issues and campaign on www.tppwatch.org and follow the links.

Thanks! Mary-Ellen O’Connor and Jane Kelsey on behalf of TPPWatch

---

☛ El artículo completo original de hannahcoleman lo puedes ver aquí