Ian McLean Green Scene Spokesperson for the Green Party

The Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement appears to be just another free trade agreement. So why did thousands of people come out into the streets on March 29 to challenge the TPPA and its processes?

For reasons that have never been explained, all TPPA negotiations are held in secret. In fact, they must remain secret for years after the agreement is signed. We can thank WikiLeaks for what little information is available about those negotiations.

The TPPA seems to be about sovereignty over local decision making; or more specifically, about giving much of that up in the interests of global networking.

The international view seems to be regulations governing cross-border trade should be as light as possible, with all parties on the same playing field. Thus, global corporations and small local businesses are accorded equivalent status in terms of negotiation capability.

Regulations driven by biosecurity or other environmental issues should be mostly ignored, because they might represent a constraint on profitability and represent protectionism.

It is scary stuff. The TPPA is much more than a free trade agreement. It could lead to a globalisation of contractual processes for most government enterprises, cutting small local businesses out of the picture entirely. It could even enable highly litigious large corporations to force adjustments to national regulatory processes.

Just the threat of litigation can be enough. Court costs for just one international case average about US$8million. It seems likely some governments will be unable or unwilling to go to court, even in the national interest.

The starting point is to open up the process. We should understand what the Government is committing us to while negotiating this agreement.