The Waitangi Tribunal will hear six applications today arguing the TPPA would breach the Treaty of Waitangi.
The six applications from nine interested parties are hoping for a decision from the Tribunal today granting their claim urgency.
The Crown has already expressed it is too late to stop it and has refused to give an undertaking not to make final commitments until the claim is heard.
According to a release issued by Angeline Greensill, one of the principal claimants, “We are here to seek urgency to protect our tino rangatiratanga, kaitaikitanga, and well-being which the Crown is about to sign away in a secret negotiation that we have been shut out from.”
The details of the TPPA have firmly been kept under wraps and much of the information the public has had access to was leaked information.
Thousands have protested against the TPPA claiming it poses serious risks to New Zealand’s independence and rangatiratanga, many also claim the only real benefactors will be big business and foreign investment entities.
Professor Jane Kelsey also called for the Government to make the details of the TPPA made available to the public if it was so confident it was in the best interest of all New Zealanders.
Greensill says, “This is a treaty for foreign investors to continue the plunder of our resources at a time when the Crown is granting exploration and exploitation licenses on land and in the sea without our consent.Offshore foreign investors are using these agreements and claiming hundreds of millions of our dollars when governments close down reckless mining operations, overturn court orders to clean up toxic waste dumps and challenge a moratorium on fracking.”
The hearing will take place in Wellington today and Te Kāea will have more details tonight at 5:30.