Tobacco and Pharmaceutical piss up highlights Free Trade prostitution

The Free Trade deal with America that John Key has promised will reap 'billions and billions' for us (something Trade Negotiator Tim Grosser said wasn't true on the iPredict election show last year), is lined with fish hooks for the benefit of corporate America.

The Food Bill being rushed through is part of the free trade push (Monsanto's GE technology), the Dotcom mega conspiracy arrests are part of the free trade push (Hollywood corporate profits and the intrusion of American jurisdiction on line) and the drilling of oil on the East Coast (which was breathlessly reported as worth $600 million plus 3 magic beans in the weekend) are all part of this intrusion of US corporate interests trumping our economic sovereignty.

Two industry's in particular should cause us concern. The tobacco and pharmaceutical industry have targeted these free trade deals for their specific interests to the detriment of the populace being forced to accept them. In Australia, the tobacco industry are using the free trade deal to sue the Government over their attempt to pass blank packaging legislation and in NZ, wikileaks show us that the American pharmaceutical industry has done all it can to attack Pharmac and have it removed so they can set their own prices for drugs NZers need. The US Embassy was caught out trying to turn public opinion against Pharmac for crying out loud.

So what of the judgement of our Ambassador Mike Moore for hosting a corporate piss up for the Free Trade Deal paid for by those corporate interests that are doing all they can to harm our wider interests as a country?

Calls to sack Mike Moore Maori political leaders are outraged New Zealand's Ambassador to the United States, Mike Moore, hosted an event sponsored by tobacco giant Philip Morris and there are calls for him to be sacked.

Moore hosted the Governors and Ambassadors World Trade Reception on Friday night in Washington DC which included discussions on the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement between the US, New Zealand and up to 10 other countries.

Philip Morris was one of the event's key sponsors.

Just hours before the reception began, Australian embassy staff withdrew because of Philip Morris' involvement.

...the Australians wouldn't sit down with the Tobacco Industry after the crap they've pulled, yet we did. Our judgement to sup with corporate forces that are conspiring against us is extraordinary, what else has the tobacco and pharmaceutical industry bought?

The text of the free trade deal should be open to scrutiny before John Key signs it, we've seen how comfortable he is with selling us off, so how much do you trust him now NZ?

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