January 19, 2016
TPPA casts shadow over Waitangi
Labour’s Te Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis says the Government has set the scene for a showdown with Ngapuhi at Waitangi over the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement.
The Government has confirmed it will host the signing of the 12-country trade and services pact in early February.
Mr Davis says it has failed to inform Maori about the implications of the deal.
“Ngapuhi kaumatua Kingi Taurua has said the Government is unwelcome at Waitangi because of his concern for his people.
“I understand his anxiety and emotion around this because the Government has failed to explain concerning details around the deal and Maori feel they’ve been kept in the dark.
“In true Ngapuhi style Kingi Taurua is using the political platform that Waitangi provides to highlight Maori discontent about the Government’s lack of consultation and information.
“What the Government fails to understand is that people are concerned about genuine issues that affect the lives of their whanau, hapu and iwi.
“Maori have a long history of international trade dating back to the early 19th Century. Labour supports free trade but the TPP is about so much more than free trade. The final deal won’t be supported by Maori if the Government continues to ignore Maori concerns,” he says.
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