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A leading critic of the Trans Pacific Partnership says iwi leaders need to find a voice on the giant trade pact rather than assume the government is acting in their best interests.
Trade ministers from the 12 TPP countries are in Atlanta trying to nail down an agreement.
Auckland University law Professor Jane Kelsey says while Ngati Kahungunu Inc has joined court action to get the government to release the text of what it is negotiating, other iwi have been silent.
She says that is causing concern among some of those involved in Maori business.
"Someone expressed a concern to me that some at least may be seduced by the trips they get to make to promote their commercial interests in other countries that MFAT and Trade and Enterprise New Zealand promote, and that they need to look at the broader issues and be prepared to challenge the government about the consequences of these agreements so hopefully that will happen but they do need to find a voice," she says.
Professor Kelsey says she’s also concerned at former prime minister Helen Clark’s statement that New Zealand can’t afford to be left out of any TPP, as she would be receiving advice in her role as head of the United Nations Development Programme that such agreements often run counter to the interests of the poor and vulnerable around the world
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