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A leading Maori health researcher says the Trans Pacific Partnership poses a risk to Maori heath.
The TPP is set to be signed in Auckland next week before the Prime Minister heads for Waitangi.
The Government is trying to dampen down criticism from Maori, with John Key telling the annual gathering at Ratana yesterday the 12-country pact would bring economic benefits to New Zealand including to Maori.
But in a submission to the Waitangi Tribunal claim against the deal, Dr Paparangi Reid says the agreement has not been fully assessed in respect to any potential impact on health and especially on health equity.
She says Maori already get less than their fair share of the health dollar, and they are behind on every health index.
The TPP would make that worse by putting up costs for centralised drug buying agency Pharmac, limiting the ability of government to run public health campaigns which may be against the financial interests of multinational companies, and by creating more barriers to access health services.
Copyright © 2016, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com
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