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Protesters rally in Auckland against negotiations taking place in the city for a Trans-Pacific Partnership - Source: ONE News -
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A noisy protest was staged in Auckland today to coincide with the start of the fourth round of Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations.
Five countries, including Australia and the United States are in talks to join New Zealand, Brunei, Chile and Singapore in the multi-lateral trade agreement which aims to remove trade barriers.
Around 30 people protested as a week of high level trade negotiations got underway this morning.
The protesters disbanded after the closed door talks got underway.
Auckland University of Technology law professor Jane Kelsey says if the deal goes ahead the other countries would have major leverage over our government.
Kelsey says the ability to make our own policy decisions and to curtail foreign investment would be severely restricted.
She says the concerns are over a push from US business groups to enable them to sue the government if policies infringe on their profit-making ability.
Kelsey says a letter signed by 43 organisations has been sent to both Prime Minister John Key and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard urging them to reject the agreement.
Green Party co-leader Russel Norman said he was concerned New Zealand's overseas investment regime will be on the United States' hit list if the deal goes through.
"New Zealanders are concerned about losing control of our land and our economic sovereignty," said Norman.
"The US government has now specifically identified the rules we place on overseas investment as a barrier to New Zealand's involvement in Free Trade agreements with it.
Norman also said he was concerned a clause may be included in the agreement that allows for investor-states complaints.
"It's time for John Key and Tim Groser to come out and publicly state that New Zealand will not weaken our overseas investment rules for the sake of getting the United States on board for the Trans Pacific-Partnership," said Norman.
Acting Minister of Trade Murray McCully has described the talks as a "landmark achievement".
"New Zealand has been insistent from the outset that TPP needs to deliver on quality. New entrants like Vietnam and Malaysia have been attracted to that, and Japan is showing strong interest," McCully said.
"This is an important initiative for New Zealand. We are looking for openings in all growth regions, but the Asia-Pacific is where the biggest opportunities lie."
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