TPPA protests in New Zealand

On the 8th November 2014,  Kiwis kick-started the global day of action against the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA). Many New Zealanders believe it poses an enormous threat to NZ’s ability to regulate for itself, and gives foreign investors and multinationals new rights to control NZ laws.

The family-friendly march from the Bucket Fountain in Cuba Street to the Civic Square ended with speeches and music. Speakers focused on local government and community issues as well as the broader national concerns.

Ariana addresses the crowd in Civic Square, Wellington New Zealand

Speakers included Sandra Grey (MC), Todd Rippon (Actors Equity), Greg Rzenosweicki (Renewables), Sue Kedgley (GWR Councillor), Gay Keating (OraTaiao: NZ Climate & Health Council)

Many people have already signed a petition to the New Zealand Prime Minister, John Key, to protect the country’s sovereignty. They said ‘it’s not for sale; No one can sign it away on our behalf’, and reminding him that ‘New Zealand is a sovereign nation’.

Speakers today believe if the TPPA goes ahead, New Zealand risks:

• Medicines costing more
• GM labelling being scrapped
• Internet access being criminalised
• Copyright law being expanded
• Parallel importing being banned
• Te Tiriti o Waitangi (1840) being overridden
• New Zealand would be giving international investors the power to sue our government for making laws which they oppose.

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What do kiwis think about?

Well, I guess the birds think pretty much the same as kiwi humans do in some areas. What's for dinner? Who to vote for? And, why write a blog?

I've already had dinner so don't have to answer that question today; who to vote for - well with all the drama in politics right now, I would like everyone to vote GREEN and keep our smaller parties in the beehive. Everyone under 35 or so will not remeber what its like to have the terrible left/ right swings at every election ... and what was even worse, we were governed ( controled?) by mostly white men over 50.

Now we have all our views being heard in the house on that Wellington hill - there are women, and gays, and Maori, and Asians, and consertivate, and liberals, all having to work things out between them - slowing the process down and stopping laws being foisted on us by parties that didn't have a marjoity .

I'm happy no one party has a majority, but with a cloition of varous groups at lest most of us get the people we voted for representing us. Keep MMP. Vote Green, and pick up plastic off the beaches wherever in the world you happen to be. (this I have discovered is the secret of happiness).

So thats what kiwis think ... well, to be truthful, its what this Kiwi thinks right now. What are you thinking about MMP? Greens? Add your comment.