Hello
again Newsletter
no: 31
In the last
few days leading
up to Christmas,
there is time
for just a brief
update on the
battle to protect
the health rights
of NZ from the
ANZTPA proposal.
As
many of you
will now be aware
the Government
introduced the
legislation necessary
for them to succeed
in creating ANZTPA
late one night
in the last few
weeks of Parliament
for the year
with no warning
and no fanfare.
(NO) Thanks to
a last minute
deal with NZ
First and United
Future, the Government
just managed
to get the numbers
it needed for
the “Therapeutic
Products and
Medicines Bill” to
pass its first
reading by 61
votes to 60,
showing just
how tense an
issue this is.
The
Bill has now
been sent to,
of all places,
the Government
Administration
Select Committee. This
once again demonstrates
the total manipulation
of the system
by the Government
who appear to
be doing all
they can to force
this Bill forward
without the proper
consultation
and review. Indeed,
we understand
that if Labour
had had its way
the Bill would
have gone through
under urgency
with no reference
to select committee
at all!
Twice before
this proposal
has gone to Select
Committee and
both times it
has been deemed
a health issue
and sent to that
committee, now
that that committee
keeps rejecting
the proposal
as bad for NZ,
the Govt instead
sends it - not
even to the select
committee for
foreign treaties
(which this also
is) - but to
the little known
and of questionable
relevance, Government
Administration
Committee.
To
make matters
worse a deadline
for submissions
has been set
at 7 February
2007, meaning
interested parties
have only a few
weeks to digest
the 494 page
Bill and prepare
their submissions. Clearly
the Government
hopes that the
task will be
too daunting
and coming at
too busy a time
for many people
to bother. What
they should be
doing if they
were in fact
acting in the
best interests
of NZ is just
the opposite. They
should be recognising
the strength
of feeling on
this issue the
important matters
of sovereignty
and health choices
that it affects
and ensuring
there is a proper
period of detailed
discussion and
consultation
before the Bill
is voted on -
not trying to
rush it through
before anyone
can properly
assess its impact.
As
ever though
the NZ Health
Trust will continue
to challenge
the proposal
on its merits
and will put
in the necessary
hours of detailed
examination of
the Bill so as
to make as comprehensive
a submission
to Select Committee
as we can. Whilst
our faith in
the integrity
of the Parliamentary
process has been
seriously shaken
by this whole
matter, we are
still very positive
and will continue
to take every
opportunity to
present our concerns
and with your
help and continued
support undertake
the necessary
actions to defeat
ANZTA.
Thanks
to all of you
who attended
the protest at
Parliament, which
received excellent
media coverage
and helped raise
the profile of
this matter. The
importance of
that sort of
public show of
opposition cannot
be underestimated.
Many thanks
to all of you
who have sent
us emails; I
am sorry that
I have not been
able to reply
to all of them
as yet.
Finally we want
to take the opportunity
to wish all our
supporters a
very Merry Christmas
and wish you
and your families
a safe and prosperous
2007.
Kind
regards
Dave Sloan
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