TPP roadie carries on - Pure Politics - Public Interest Policy
Greetings
dear friends
My name is Greg Rzesniowiecki
and I am a public advocate. I work for what I sense are the best
policies for my home of choice Aotearoa New Zealand. I came here 21
years ago from the West Island (Melbourne Australia).
My approach is well documented in
reports published in the Campaign Against Foreign Corporate Control
(CAFCA) journal 'Watchdog' with my reports commencing September 2014
in Watchdogs #136, 137, 138, 138, 141, 142 and 143, links to journals
- click on the TPP reports:
I've just written a history
concentrating on the 'TPP policy solution' campaign lobby to Local
Government through 2012 – 2016 which will appear in the Watchdog
#144 due April 2017.
Through this period I've been
sustained by hundreds of people with in kind and monetary support.
I'm extremely grateful that people feel they gain value from the work
I undertake. Without your sustenance I wouldn't have the time to
undertake the research and have the space to think on the problems we
confront.
For example I wrote the following
blog post on 'chemtrails, geoengineering and climate change' through
Saturday 11 March and into the wee hours of Sunday morning, it all
takes time and knowledge of the material:
An
Appeal for funds to sustain my continued work on your behalf
Image: Tinkerbell
final rest – Auckland 2016
I came to be a dedicated activist
from around February 2014 and exhausted my own surplus of cash by
June 2014. Since then I have relied on the generosity of sustainers
and sponsors to continue this lobby and public advocacy project.
Incredibly I have been sustained for near three years. A bank account
is provided below and at the conclusion of this appeal for any who
might care to contribute - cheers for that. I need a new van – you
might assist? About $5000 would cover a reasonable second-hand
replacement van. I need ongoing funds to live. I happily live cheaply
:)
Donations
to
Public
Advocacy Donations Account: 389017-0439360-00
- Reference
TPP
roadie
A heart felt thank you
for all the contributions so far and for the one you are about to
make. And no pressure there's many who are not in a position. I work
for everyone – for public interest.
TPP
policy solution and TPP Free Zones
Along
with a cast of hundreds if not thousands, we successfully lobbied
local government to adopt the TPP policy solution, with 12
major NZ councils who in their territories represent 60% of the New
Zealand population:
http://www.actionstation.org.nz/tpp_policy_solution
We also undertook subsequent efforts
to get NZ Councils to support 'TPP Free Zones' as a tactic to make
the NZ Government adopt a democratic process for initiating,
negotiating and ratifying trade and investment treaties such as TPP.
Folks from Waiheke and their supportive Community Board members won
it in January 2016, followed by Upper Hutt City Council in February
2016:
With our rallies, Real Choice
actions, Action Station and brilliant leadership from It's Our
Future's (IOF) Professor Jane Kelsey, and IOF coordinators Jonathon
King, Edward Miller, Barry Coates and Stephen Parry, and the
thousands that have supported actions, we have made a mark on NZ
politics. Well done! I suggest we will continue to make our mark
promoting good policy.
TPP
is dead, but is it buried for ever - or a zombie to return?
Despite the US withdrawal
from TPP there are more treaties and their corporation favouring
provisions to watch and counter; RCEP (Regional Comprehensive
Economic Partnership), TiSA (Trade in Services
Agreement), proposed
treaties with Saudi Arabia, the EU, the Russian customs union, with
the UK and more.
Then there's the prospect of a
bilateral with the Trump ruled US at some point down the road.
There is TPP lite discussions this
week in Chile 14, 15 March, where the TPP nations minus the US
(although the US are attending along with China and South Korea) will
consider the approach to take, given US President Trump has withdrawn
from the TPP.
In NZ we may have a problem as the
New Zealand Parliament has ratified the deal. The legislation is
awaiting the coming into force provisions. It can not come into force
as it is, however, will the NZ Government attempt to amend the TPP
legislation to enable a new 'TPP lite' treaty without going through
the formal treaty examination process required under Cabinet's rule
7.112 and Parliament's Standing Orders 397-400?
We need to be vigilant with all of
this in play!
Greg's
public advocacy role - do you gain value from my work?
To be perfectly honest I love this
role of public advocate and feel I have a natural talent for the
task. I'm an independent researcher, I comprehend the political and
democratic processes, and are relatively fearless.
Were I to drop this mahi in order to
earn a living, I would be similar to most - unable to keep abreast of
the many developments. So it's a question for you – do you gain
value from my work? To what extent?
Greg's
TPP paperwork and research
In respect to the TPP itself I have
created a number of papers, forwarded to the Foreign Affairs Defence
and Trade (FADT) select committee through the TPP treaty examination
and subsequent consideration of the TPP enabling legislation. These
are available at this dropbox link, feel free to explore the
material:
All but two of these are original
writings. In addition I've placed material at this blog, TPP Free
Wellington reports:
Image: GG
Official Secretary receiving TPP petition Saturday 30 January 2016
TPP Free Wellington to which I've been strongly associated launched a petition to the New Zealand Governor General (GG) asking him/her to tell PM John Key not to ratify the TPP. Ultimately Dame Patsy did in November 2016. Through the GG process we have learned that our Governor General as head of State appears to have no desire to protect the State, from the sovereign and material loss the TPP represents.
I
wrote the previous Governor General (GG) Sir Jerry Mateparae in
respect to the TPP in June 2016, with an essay,
TPP
– How does this fit our democracy?
Sir Jerry ended his commission
before the new GG Dame Patsy Reddy was sworn in September 2016. I
copied the email to Dame Patsy and the NZ Chief Justice Dame Sian
Elias:
Future
international treaties – can we improve and democratise the
process?
We need to intervene in the ongoing
process to determine how the NZ Government - initiates, negotiates
and ratifies treaties. To that effect I placed paper before the FADT
committee suggesting the development of a model treaty to use as a
template for future negotiations. This arose in response to questions
from Green Party MP Kennedy Graham:
I provided that paper and
another letter with recommendations to Minister Todd McClay, in respect to the
Government's Trade Policy Strategy Refresh:
NZ
Parliament Standing Orders
guide parliament's process for dealing with international treaties. I
placed a paper into the Parliamentary Standing Orders select
committee for consideration during the current review for the
development of updated Standing Orders to apply as the rules for the
incoming parliament after the 23 September 2017 general election.
This is one of three papers and summarises the recommendations I
offered the committee under the existing Standing Orders 397-400:
Full set of documents here:
Obviously there is a lot of writing
contained in these papers and blogs. They reflect my thoughts and the
collaborations with the TPP Free/Action community of activists and
supporters. I do have original ideas, and I synergise the many inputs
that come from people both within Aotearoa and overseas. I work
independently of any political party although I collaborate with any
allies.
Greg's
advocacy in non-TPP legislation and or policies
I've also placed paper into select
committee in relation to other legislative proposals, this one the
Local Government Amendment Bill (No2) 2016:
RNZ report of the Select Committee
which includes some of my korero to the committee 1 September 2016. I
spoke in between Stephen Woodhead Chair of Otago Regional Council,
and Hastings' Mayor Lawrence Yule who is President of New Zealand
Council's Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ). Report runs to 9:06
into the 14 minute report:
In addition I have placed paper into
various select committees in my public advocacy career since early
2014 when I considered the Countering Foreign Terrorist Fighters
Legislation Bill. Since then during 2016 the Maritime Crimes
Amendment Bill.
Image: https://www.parliament.nz/en/WatchParliament/VideoDetail/180436 Green's Kennedy Graham speaks in opposition to the Intelligence and Security Bill.
In regard to Intelligence and Security, I placed paper into the review by Sir Michael Cullen and Patsy Reddy (prior to her promotion for services to GG) and the resulting Intelligence and Security Bill. That bill just passed through the House for it's Second reading and unfortunately looks to be confirmed as NZ Law if Labour and NZ First continue to vote for it with the Government.
I
have initiated this Facebook page highlighting the problems of
associating with the US and its criminal spying and Aggressive
war-making activities. The latest Wikileaks release of Vault 7 adds
fuel to the fire of discontent with our US alliance:
https://www.wikileaks.org/ciav7p1/
The
Facebook page I've named, 'Stop the NZ Intelligence and Security Bill
- Stop the NZ CIA' https://www.facebook.com/StopNZIntelligenceBill/
The object is to raise awareness and
initiate action to pressure the NZ Government over the US alliance
and 5 Eyes spying. Feel free to join.
I've also placed paper into a few
more legislative proposals including the, 'Health (Fluoridation of
Drinking Water) Amendment Bill 2016' opposing it for the infringement
on human rights, and the 'Children, Young Persons, and Their Families
(Oranga Tamariki) Legislation Bill' which I opposed on the basis
that children removed from their families or domestic setting due to
abuse or inappropriate care are placed in familiar and culturally
similar care. That is where children are removed from Caucasian or
pakeha settings they are placed in similar cultural care. The same
for tangata whenua or Pasifika children. I intend to maintain a watch
on government legislative projects and intervene where I feel a need
and have the opportunity. I am open to suggestions in this regard. I
also support the initiatives of others who reflect similar
humanitarian values...
Looking
Forward – Values - Compass Points in a Post Truth World
I've identified that most New
Zealanders hold similar intrinsic values and want a beneficial,
abundant, sustainable and resilient state. To this effect I commenced
this blog which considers values, the blog's title, 'Values - Compass
Points in a Post Truth World.'
The initial post looked at the Flag
referendum 'Stand For' values and those identified by Colmar Brunton
in their November 2016 'Better Futures' report focusing on the 17 UN
Sustainable Development Goals, 'Values - Dig deep what are we about?'
I feel we need to turn the world
toward a sane heading. In late November 2016 I wrote, 'Working on an
open, egalitarian and abundant 2017 with a mind to history's lessons
- you too?' which picks up the values idea and relates them to what I
comprehend is the values pursued by the 'Deep US State' and it's
Exceptional attitude. They will not countenance binding their state
to the principles of International Law.
Do we remain allied to a nation that
continually wages aggressive war wherever it feels it advantages its
corporations or larger agenda?
Under the Trump Presidency the
tendency toward unilateralism and exceptionalism might be raised
higher than under President Obama the 'Drone Assassination Emperor',
and George W. Bush the 'War on Terror Emperor'
Which begs the question of what
policies and parties to support in New Zealand at the 23 September
2017 general election? I remain non-partisan and aim to develop a
list of policies informed by my researches and discussions with many
people. If you generally support the work I've done to date, you'll
have a good idea what that means. The Colmar Brunton Better Futures
report outlined in the link above** is fairly good indicator;
“Between
60% and 80% of Kiwis rate each goal as very important. When those
people were asked to name the single most important goal the top six
in order of priority were: no poverty, good health and well-being,
quality education, sustainable cities and communities, clean water
and sanitation, and zero hunger.
“It’s clear from this that New Zealanders care most about improving the day-to-day lives of others and there is a strong skew towards social issues in the top six goals.
“In
particular Kiwis think we need to do more towards achieving zero
hunger, sustainable cities and communities and no poverty, as they
believe our performance in these areas fails to measure up to the
importance we place on them.”
Link to the Better Business report:
As a public advocate I work to
implement the people's intrinsic desires. You can help me to continue
to do that - thanks for your time and consideration.
Appeal for sustainers
I'm keen to continue in
public advocacy, however, I do need to eat and as I mentioned earlier
acquire my own wheels (Tinkerbell replacement). If you care for what
I do perhaps on this occasion consider digging deep.
Greg's only income is
from public donations. To sustain me continue this work contribute to
Kiwibank account “Public Advocacy Donations Account”
389017-0439360-00
Reference "TPP roadie"
Many thanks for your
support.
Aroha
and peace
Also please share with
those who may be interested both in the content or to assist –
thank you.
.
