One News last night said that Labour finally confirms it’s opposed to controversial TPPA.
Labour’s leader says it’s now opposing the TPP. But the Trade Minister said Andrew Little should be very careful about trying to renegotiate.
Andrea Vance: Ambivalent until now, Labour has finally confirmed it is opposed to the controversial Trans Pacific trade deal.
Andrew Little: I don’t support it. We don’t support it.
Andrea Vance: Labour’s convinced the trade-off tramples over Parliament’s sovereign right to make laws.
Andrew Little: Very difficult as it is for us as a party that for eighty years has supported for, championed and advanced the cause of free trade, we see an agreement that cuts right across the rights of New Zealand citizens…
Andrea Vance: Plus Andrew points to US University analysis which predicts the deal will lead to between five thousand and six thousand jobs lost in New Zealand by 2025. The report also estimates GDP growth of less than 0.8%, again by 2025.
Andrew Little: They’re saying that the New Zealand economy as a result of the TPPA will have grown by 47% as opposed to 46% without the TPPA so they’re saying not much here…
Andrea Vance: So what’s it mean for the TPP if Labour gets in to Government?
Andrew Little: I’ll go to the other parties and say ‘right, this isn’t good enough for New Zealand, and New Zealand has said that, and we want to renegotiate these things.
Andrea Vance: The Government says these threats put Labour on shaky grounds.
Todd McClay (Trade Minister): I think they need to be very careful about the signals that they are sending.
Andrea Vance: At least Labour seems to have stopped serving up mixed signals.
That was Little last night. This morning: Labour split on TPPA
Your NZ 
Pantsdownbrown
/ 28th January 2016“They’re saying that the New Zealand economy as a result of the TPPA will have grown by 47% as opposed to 46% without the TPPA so they’re saying not much here…”
I’ve seen this falsehood mentioned a few times on here as well.
That 46% growth on GDP is based on New Zealand continuing to grow at current rates HOWEVER it doesn’t take into account of what will actually happen to our GDP if we are the only country in our region not party to the TPPA. As other TTPA countries start to increase their trade with each other (leaving us more & more isolated) our GDP growth will fall and will be a long way off the 46% mentioned.
It is disingenuous to suggest our GDP will be anywhere near similar if we are in/out of the TPPA.
Blazer
/ 28th January 2016good thinking pants…so ignore the current growth part of the equation and stick with the standalone TPPA projections…which are????????
Pantsdownbrown
/ 28th January 2016I note that Andrew Little isn’t disputing the 47% growth projection under the TPPA here (and of course any ‘projection’ is always up for debate) BUT he is validating the 46% growth figure when that is based on the false premise that New Zealand continues along at current GDP growth rates regardless of the fact that a whole lot of other countries will be part of the TPPA. That is just fantasy land stuff.
Blazer
/ 28th January 2016so you are saying you cannot see our ‘rockstar’ economy achieving current GDP growth rates,going forward.
Pantsdownbrown
/ 28th January 2016Now you are just being silly – we can’t continue current GDP growth levels if we don’t sign agreements like the TPPA but countries like Australia do – now go and have a cuppa.
Goldie
/ 28th January 2016When Australia got preferential tariffs to the Japanese market, the Australians were able to undercut NZ competitors, and the $200 million beef export market to Japan collapsed. A similar thing happened when Chilean kiwifruit got preferential tariffs – the NZ kiwifruit industry got walloped. And the same thing happened when the Aussies got tariff discounts into Korea and we didn’t – the Aussies booted us out of a market which had been growing strong up to then. So we know what happens when a competitor gets a favourable tariff discount while NZ exporters don’t – NZ businesses get stuffed.
So if NZ opted out of the TPP trading bloc, it would mean that NZ exports are still subject to discriminatory tariffs from TPP countries, while Australian/Chilean competitors would be able to price NZ out of the TPP markets. Being driven out of the TPP markets would be catastrophic for the export sector.
So NZ economic growth would be severely impacted by opting out of the TPP trade bloc.
TPP is not a matter of the status quo versus a new regime. It is a choice between increased economic growth in the TPP or much lower economic growth by ourselves.
Oliver
/ 28th January 2016Labour have been against the TPPA for the last 5 years.
Pantsdownbrown
/ 28th January 2016Funny then Oliver that Andrew Little couldn’t/wouldn’t actually say 100% if Labour were for or against the TPPA only a couple of days ago…….
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/201786779/andrew-little-on-labour's-year-ahead
Oliver
/ 28th January 2016That’s just your interpretation. Labour have been consistent with their anti-TPPA stance.
Pantsdownbrown
/ 28th January 2016You’re right – consistently inconsistent.
artcroft
/ 28th January 2016The unions have spoken.
Zedd
/ 28th January 2016Good job.. now that’s what I call ‘being in OPPOSITION !’ 🙂
artcroft
/ 28th January 2016To reality.