This website has previously covered the concerns of health professionals about how the “Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement” (TPPA) could adversely affected New Zealanders’ access to health care by making pharmaceutical drugs more expensive. (See: https://naturalmedicine.net.nz/news/doctor-speaks-out-on-how-tppa-could-affect-new-zealanders-health/)
In addition to members of the medical profession, there are many New Zealanders opposed to the TPPA for various reasons; opponents include advocates for safe food and anti-smoking campaigners and environmental groups.
The text of the TPPA has not been made public, however, text that has been leaked shows that the TPPA makes provision for “Investor-State Dispute Settlements” which are essentially a mechanism by which corporations can sue governments if laws made by governments interfere with the corporation’s ability to make money. (If a corporation won its case, taxpayers would have to cough up the funds for damages awarded to the corporations.)
(You can read more about the “Investor-State Dispute Settlement” issue here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/kill-the-dispute-settlement-language-in-the-trans-pacific-partnership/2015/02/25/ec7705a2-bd1e-11e4-b274-e5209a3bc9a9_story.html)
Unfortunately, the NZ government has signaled its intention to sign the TPPA.
A large number of initiative are underway to try to persuade the government against this course of action. The week of August 8 to August 15 has been designated as a week of action against the TPPA
For more information please visit this website http://itsourfuture.org.nz/
(There is an email list to which you can sign up for information.)
There is also a Facebook page that will include various anti-TPPA actions coming up in Auckland, beginning this week:
https://www.facebook.com/events/856470661055271/permalink/856505651051772/