Polity: Too much to swallow on the TPP
139 Responses
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Andre, in reply to
Opus were originally the Consultancy Division of the Ministry of Works. Since working of the Local Authority Engineering magazine in 1987, then NZ Local Government magazine in the early 90's and the Assn of Consulting Enginers of NZ media in the late 90's, I can confirm that most of our rates head overseas, whereas BITD these companies were owned by kiwis balancing whether succession to family was possible or whether immediate gains should be taken. The latter won and future generations and we lost.
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John Key now concedes that the TPP will increase the price of medicines to Pharmac, but it's okay because prescriptions will still only be $5 at the chemist.
I really hope this ludicrous spin doesn't get a free pass, because it makes no fucking sense whatsoever.
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Sacha, in reply to
They have known this all along. Longer patent periods mean more NZ Health funding going into big pharma’s pockets. That means less for everything else if government increases its subsidy, or higher user charges if it doesn't.
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Alfie, in reply to
What planet is Key on? In some countries this level of treachery which will cost the country tens of millions each year for zero gain would inspire revolution.
Rod Oram also finds this backdown hard to believe.
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Don Christie, in reply to
My understanding is that trade agreements don't have to be ratified by Parliament. So talk of votes and how they stack up is moot.
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Don Christie, in reply to
So, can Labour comment? Does this scenario leave "Pharmac intact"? It does seem like a get out of gaol free scenario for Labour.
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Russell Brown, in reply to
They have known this all along. Longer patent periods mean more NZ Health funding going into big pharma’s pockets. That means less for everything else if government increases its subsidy, or higher user charges if it doesn’t.
Or new drugs don't get funded because the budget has been eroded by Pharmac's loss of access to generics.
Major case in point: the new anti-virals that could basically cure every case of Hepatitis C in New Zealand. That's 50,000 people condemned to chronic disease and death.
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Rich of Observationz, in reply to
My understanding is that trade agreements don’t have to be ratified by Parliament. So talk of votes and how they stack up is moot.
I wonder whether Labour or the Greens would support a law change such that they did.
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Russell Brown, in reply to
My understanding is that trade agreements don’t have to be ratified by Parliament. So talk of votes and how they stack up is moot.
You are correct.
But Parliament would have to pass changes likely to be required to existing legislation, such as the Copyright Act.
NB: From that link above, Steven Joyce dodging a Parliamentary question on Pharmac losing access to generics, two years ago. They knew it was coming.
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izogi, in reply to
Longer patent periods mean more NZ Health funding going into big pharma’s pockets.
That's okay! It's only "a little bit longer".
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Rosemary McDonald, in reply to
From your link...
Hon STEVEN JOYCE: It was not the Minister of Trade per se who misunderstood the speaker; it was the Minister who was speaking on the Minister’s behalf in Parliament yesterday who misunderstood the situation. He, of course, has been told by the Minister not to speak for the Minister today and that the Minister would get another Minister to speak on his behalf.
WTF?
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Don Christie, in reply to
And just for the record, your local IT sector has been onto this for a wee while:
http://techblog.nz/223-UpdateonIntellectualPropertyandTPPA
Not just a bunch of checked shirted UX fanatics :-)
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Alfie, in reply to
WTF?
Pure Yes Minister -- apart from the fact that it's not funny.
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BenWilson, in reply to
I really hope this ludicrous spin doesn’t get a free pass, because it makes no fucking sense whatsoever.
Oceania has always been at war with Generic Drugs.
Problem is: People inside 1984 don’t get 1984 references. Only the unpeople do.ETA: And of course, eventually, even the unpeople don't. We all end up loving Big Brother - some of us just endure more torture beforehand and are executed a little sooner after.
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chris, in reply to
The financial colonisation of our country is the logical conclusion
I’m fairly certain that happened about 150 years ago.
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Russell Brown, in reply to
That’s okay! It’s only “a little bit longer”.
If we’ve been rolled on re-patenting, I’m told it’s an additional seven years that Pharmac can’t access a generic.
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izogi, in reply to
Pure Yes Minister – apart from the fact that it’s not funny.
Here it is in glorious televisual action. Some of the MPs in the background, behind Steven Joyce, were certainly laughing.
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Time Warp, anyone?
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Sacha, in reply to
And that's without the impact of greater 'openness' to contest (and delay) Pharmac's buying decisions, which big pharma has wanted for ages. Guess who can afford the most lawyers?
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Bart Janssen, in reply to
That means less for everything else if government increases its subsidy, or higher user charges if it doesn’t.
There is of course an alternative. Raise taxes so that New Zealanders as a country can pay US Pharma companies.
It would be interesting if we had a real journalist in the country who could follow the money. NZ taxes will now going to US pharma companies as a result of a trade deal negotiated by politicians who were elected in part as a result of electoral donations from … ????
Fortunately journalism was killed off before this corrupt government took over.
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izogi, in reply to
There is of course an alternative. Raise taxes so that New Zealanders as a country can pay US Pharma companies.
Or just make Fonterra pay directly from all the extra profit it’ll supposedly be getting at the expense of most of the rest of us.
Heh.
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Alfie, in reply to
Don't get me started on the price of milk.
I've been saving this Tremain cartoon for the right moment. ;-)
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The odious Mike Hosking and some grudging coverage - even though he seems to still think we should just sign it and see what happens - wonder how many other things in his life he takes that cavalier approach to?
How does he get by on so little information?
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/how-does-the-tpp-affect-little-old-me-at-home-6364035.html -
Katharine Moody, in reply to
How does he get by on so little information?
Feeding your own prejudice requires no information - just a mouth.
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chris, in reply to
I make a habit of reading through the comments under MSM articles, It’s always a pleasure to stumble on one of your own. The single most disturbing comment I’ve ever read was on Stuff.co.nz last September. Written by a hospital employee, it dealt with the spike in suicide/self harm admissions on election night. Obviously there’s absolutely no way to verify its veracity.
Yesterday I couldn’t help but notice an intensification in the tone of the TPPA comments:
junkrodder 18 hours ago
96% are against the TPP in a latest poll – no matter what side of the political spectrum you sit on this must not be allowed to pass. This is when NZ needs to rise up and say there is limit to this madness & this is where we draw a line in the sand. To do nothing would be a grave mistake for which I fear we will all pay dearly. This is a corporate power grab & nothing more. +31
2 repliesdomesticated_NZ18 hours ago
I’m with you. You with me? +10DavidBrent17 hours ago
The poll I saw was 82% against, still a staggering majority +10domesticated_NZ 19 hours ago
Comments on blogs, media attention, angry emails to elected official, protest movements or petitions will not prevent the National party from signing out our economic sovereignty on this “agreement”. Unfortunately, the last option we have now as a public, is civil unrest. I vote NO to this “deal”, and consider the NZ signees of the TPP as treasonous self-serving criminals. I will not abide by the laws of these national traitors, nor by the conditions of the TPP treaty. I urge YOU to revolt with me.
Show your spine NZ. +29
1 replyMike_Oxlong15 hours ago
When and where? I’m keen. +5DavidBrent 20 hours ago
How about signing a real free trade agreement rather than the TPPA John?
I only say that for the sake of NZ farmers, NZ businesses, NZ soverignty and NZ Health system .TPPA is corporate fascism that Nation party support. Big overseas companies will be able to sue the NZ govt for millions in damages in secretive offshore tribunals, claiming that new laws and regulations e.g for a ban on fracking, GM, smoking laws, or a cap on electricity prices etc. Copyright laws will be toughened and more harshly enforced, restricting internet freedom and access to information, costing libraries, schools, and businesses, and stifling innovation.
Parallel importing will be banned, meaning that New Zealanders, especially the poor, will have to pay far more for all sorts of ordinary products.
Foreign banks, insurance companies and money traders will gain more powers to challenge laws designed to prevent another financial crisis; and overseas property dealers could contest moves to burst the property bubble, such as a capital gains tax.
John Key you are an evil sell out and speak with forked tongue – plain and simple.
1 reply +28domesticated_NZ18 hours ago
Civil unrest is the last and only option now. Revolt with me. +12atret 20 hours ago
A poll on radiolive website shows that 96% say NO to signing the TPPA. Someone impeach this traitor John Key asap. +26
2 replies
DavidBrent17 hours ago
Parliament holds the power of initiating an impeachment. Any MP may make accusations of any crime but the member must support the charges with evidence and then move for impeachment. Seems corporate crime and shady backroom deals which destroys a countries sovereignty isnt listed? +10No More16 hours ago
Hear hear! +7Given the arbitrariness of Stuff.co.nz moderation, there’s very little that can be extrapolated from such a limited number of voices, yet I can’t recall a precedent – on that website at least.
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