Economics of TPPA

You're not just going to oppose free trade?

UBI should be a part of any economic platform.

UBI can only come in conjunction with a tax reform and possibly requires some sort of land reform as well (see Nick).
Does anybody know if the TPPA would bring extra obstacles for such plans?

What is the current situation about GE in NZ currently?
Is it legal to produce GE food in NZ?
If not, is imported GE food allowed in the stores?

If not, then the TPPA would certainly change that, I bet. This could be a strong argument against it for many.

AFAIK commercial cultivation of GMO crops or husbandry of GMO animals is not allowed. Experimental field trials are allowed, including outdoor ones, but permission needs to be sought from the Environmental Risk Management Authority, under the HASNO (Hazardous Substances and New Organisms) Act.

I'm not sure if there are any specific references to GMOs in the TPPA, but I assume that it would allow any GMO regulatory regime - even compulsory labeling of foods with GMO ingredients - which is seen to limit the business opportunities of biotech corporations to be challenged at the WTO. Imagine the "IP" section would push for allowing life patents for GMOs.

I would say that free trade is not as important as fair trade. I don't care if the USA gets to pay a free price for our agricultural goods, what I do care about is that I pay a fair price for my subsidised medicine.
I do not want to see the sovereignty of our state become subservient to the bottom line of multinationals.
I don't want to have big tobacco sue NZ for passing generic labelling.
I don't want Serco sue NZ when it decriminalises dope.
I don't want Qantas to sue NZ when we tax carbon.
I don't want Facebook to sue teenagers for closing their accounts.
I don't want KFC to sue those of us who have their secret recipe.

I don't want much, all I want is sanity in politics.

All international trade agreements should be transparent and subject to public approval by binding referendum.

An update on the current state of TPAA negotiations here:
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/02/12/exclusive-what-obama-suckered-key-to-agree-on-the-golf-course/

The TL;DR seems to be that if we can hold it off for another 6 months or so, I will probably go into the dustbin of “free trade” history along with the MAI and ACTA.

The TPP campaign has been so successful in turning public opinion against signing up that Key and Groser have been engaged in a range of desperate tactics. The latest was to get Helen Clark to have a photo op with Key and give her blessing to the TPP. It's really important to keep up the pressure against NZ signing the TPP. Can we put out a press release keep reiterating all the negatives for our country relating to our core policy areas?

Noam Chomsky talks about how every part of the phrase "free trade agreement" is a lie when it comes to TPPA and similiar "low wage treaties (to quote Richard Stallman). About 10 minutes into the video I've linked, Chomsky explains how to the degree that these treaties are about trade at all, they are protectionist agreements, not supporting real free trade at all.

There is little chance that Labour will vote against the legislation required to enact the TPP and even if they did it could well split them as Martyn Bradbury reports. So unless there is a rejection by a major partner e.g. US or Japan We are locked in.
How do we go from here. Start campaiging against FISA, work on a strategy to withdraw from the TPP or both?

I respect Bomber, but I think he's wrong on this, and parroting a self-fulfilling prophecy propagated by Crosby-Textor shills. As I said on the OpenChat list, there is a battle going on for the soul of Labour, between the members and affiliated unions, and the neo-liberal rump who've managed to hold onto safe Labour seats since the 80s (or inherited them from their neoliberal mentors eg Mike Moore handing over to Clayton Cosgrove). Bringing Labour back into the fold of the opposition to National is part of what we must do to defeat not only the TPPA, but the current wave of neoliberal "lawfare" (to quote Assange) coming from the USA.

I have just become aware of something in the info on the TPP the government has put out. It is possible to withdraw from the agreement.
http://beehive.govt.nz/sites/all/files/TPP-Q&A-Oct-2015.pdf (second to last section)
Campaigning for a withdrawal from the treaty is a workable strategy.

Jane Kelsey has debunked the Herald's spin on Investor State Dispute Settlements in the TTP in a piece on theDailyBlog. She agrees that it's not too late to bury the TPP, and is calling all opponents to attend another Day of Action on Nov 14. She says:

It is crucial to stress that it’s not too late for us to stop this happening. The TPPA is far from being signed, sealed and delivered.

The political trade-offs on the TPPA were concluded at the ministerial meeting in Atlanta, but it will be at least 3 more months before the text can be signed. Under US law, the President must give 90 days’ notice before doing so and he hasn’t given that notice yet. The text will be publicly released at least 30 days into that 90 days.

There is a lot of work to be done to counteract the pro-TPPA spin machine, especially around ISDS. Expert analyses will be published as the text is available. But New Zealanders also need to send the government and Labour a resounding message that they don’t want the TPPA.

The EU will be insisting on a proper judicial system to govern any 'free trade' agreement with New Zealand not the SDS tribunals.

I have been to the protest walk in Wellington today. Lots of great people there, good speeches, some Palmy Pirates and quite a number of people who asked me about our flag and who we are. I call this a success.

This photo by Sandra Grey is brilliant

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=874646142589455&set=a.672532846134120.1073741831.100001322310161&type=3&pnref=story

That's a brilliant photo! Can we put it on the front page of pirateparty.org.nz? Where can we get more of these flags from?