Hundreds gathered to protest in New Plymouth against the TPPA in two years ago.

A handful of protesters in New Plymouth added their collective frustration to the signing of the controversial Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

​The international trade treaty between New Zealand and 10 nations will be signed off in Chile on Thursday by Minister for Trade and Export Growth David Parker after several years of negotiations.

The deal is expected to create new international trade opportunities for New Zealand, including preferential access for the first time to Japan – the world's third biggest economy – and also to Canada, Mexico and Peru, the government says.

ANDY JACKSON/STUFF TPPA action network New Plymouth co-ordinator Stuart Bramhall is disappointed with the secrecy surrounding the signing of the trade agreement in Chile.

A group of a dozen people who agitated against the treaty going ahead handed out leaflets to passers-by at Puke Ariki Landing on Sunday.

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A corresponding protest two years ago drew several hundred people to march in New Plymouth.

ANDY JACKSON/STUFF A handful of anti-TPPA protesters showed their concerns at Puke Ariki landing in New Plymouth on Sunday.

A small group had protested at the trade minister's visit to promote the treaty in New Plymouth last week.

Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) action network New Plymouth co-ordinator Stuart Bramhall said the signing of the trade agreement by the coalition government was 'frustrating" for many New Zealanders who had opposed the negotiations.

"It's not only frustrating that it is going through almost unaltered from what the previous National Government agreed to but also because there continued to be a lot of secrecy behind the deal," she said.

"If the deal was so great then why has there not been more public consultation?"

Bramhall, who stood for the Green Party in last year's general election, said the nationwide weekend of protests in main centres around the country had been successful in again raising public awareness.

"Many thought it was not being signed by the new government because Labour had opposed it during the election.

"Many New Zealanders voted against a failed neoliberal economic model which is represented by the TPPA.

"Sadly that's not what they're getting.

"We are calling on the Prime Minister not to sign the TPPA-11.

"The new coalition government insists the new deal is much improved from the original TPPA that they opposed prior to the election.

"It's not - in fact the only difference is that 22, of more than 1000 provisions, have been suspended, but not removed, from the agreement.

"These can be re-activated if the United States decides to re-enter the TPPA."

Critical provisions such as the investor state disputer settlement, which enabled corporations to sue countries, had not been resolved with the addition of side agreements, she said.

"The government won't say which countries have agreed not to sue NZ until after the treaty is signed, and have failed to acknowledge the ability of multinational corporations to sue countries."

Bramhall said investors could still sue New Zealand for new laws to address climate change, fracking or taxing water.

There had been little opportunity by the government for consultation or amendment, she said.

In Taranaki the trade agreement would make it impossible for the Crown, or local councils to strengthen environmental, and health and safety regulations, due to the risk of being sued in private offshore tribunals, she said.

Bramhall said the next step would be to gather enough submissions to present to the parliamentary select committee for discussion.



