Bulletin

US dairy demands tight controls on Fonterra

Inside US Trade has reported they are seeking to impose tight controls on the operation of Fonterra. In a press conference Assistant US Trade Representative Barbara Weisel said they are mulling over demands by American dairy farmers to include provisions that would impose special competition rules on Fonterra. Weisel said the USTR “are continuing discussion …

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No progress on New Zealand dairy access to the US

Speaking before the Leesburg round an unnamed US negotiator effectively confirmed to Inside US Trade (no link) that market access for NZ dairy products (the main reason why NZ is participating in these negotiations) was not seriously on the table until the end of the negotiations – when the trade-offs will be made.

Recaps on the Leesburg round of negotiations

The most recent round of TPPA negotiations have come and gone, with plenty of protest and no transparency. Read about the protest actionshere , here, and here. For  excellent analysis of the issues and outcomes of the Leesburg round read these releases from US watchdog Public Citizen (here and here).

Health Select Committee refuses to hear dissenting voices on the TPPA

The Labour Party’s health spokesperson Maryan Street revealed that National Party members on the Health Select Committee have twice refused to allow experts to brief the committee on possible effects of the TPP on New Zealand’s ability to determine its own health policies. This follows the earlier rejection of a petition led by the NZCTU for a …

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Big pharmaceutical companies on the offensive over PHARMAC

Joseph Damond, a senior vice-president of the Washington-based Biotechnology Industry Organisation, was in Wellington last month to convince Trade Minister Groser and the New Zealand negotiators to throw PHARMAC to the wind in the TPPA. Damond struggled to convince us that PHARMAC — which ensures New Zealand pays a lot less for medicines — is somehow bad …

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In only a few days over 700,000 say ‘no’ to TPP in avaaz petition; actor arrested presenting petition at negotiations

Actress Q’orianka Kilcher was arrested at the Leesburg venue of the last TPP round while delivering the Avaaz petition,at that pointed signed by over 350,000 people, now by twice as many. In a statement before her arrest Q’orianka said: “The Trans Pacific Partnership would be devastating for people around the world and it is being negotiated …

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Having fun with the TPPA: National Cartoon Competition Launched

A Trans-Pacific Partnership Cartoon Competition has been launched to encourage the country’s satirists and graphic artists to engage creatively with its many issues. The co-sponsors are Scoop Independent News (publishers of Scoop.co.nz), the Society of Authors, the Bruce Jesson Foundation and BizDojo, who will also host an exhibition of the cartoons in Auckland during the negotiation. …

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Hear Australian Public Health expert on TPP Auckland & Wgtn 24-27 September

Deb Gleeson, an Australian public health expert on TPP, will speak in Wellington on public heath issues at 5.30pm, Wednesday 26th September with Prof Susy Frankel at Rutherford House, with Simon Terry from the Sustainability Council on Thursday, 27th September at 12.30 pm at City Art Gallery, and 6.00pm at 19 Tory Street with Rainbow …

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