Hundreds take to the street in protest

More awareness is needed of the full implications of a controversial international agreement set to be signed by New Zealand, a Rotorua woman says.

Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) protester Marama Meikle says signing the agreement between major nations could adversely affect jobs in the region.

Ms Meikle was among about 200 protesters who shouted their opposition to the proposed partnership with a march through Rotorua on Saturday.

Guest speakers on the rally included Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell, NZ First MP Fletcher Tabuteau, Rotorua lawyer Annette Sykes, Green Party MP Catherine Delahunty, and Potaua Baisiny-Tule, of Rotorua.

The march was part of the Kiwis Fight Back nationwide protest against TPPA held in 15 centres throughout the country.

Ms Meikle said there was growing concern about the impact of the agreement on many aspects of the New Zealand way of life.

"The TPPA will affect everyone in the country and we need to make more people aware of what it could do."

The nationwide protests helped to bring more awareness on the agreement's implications, she said.

"I am against the TPPA because it will violate and jeopardise the everyday rights and basic freedoms of all New Zealanders.

"How can it be good for the community when it's so secretive."

Ms Meikle said it was everybody's right to know what the Government was preparing to do.

"It's our future and our future matters, and the TPPA is a deal that will sign away our rights and there needs to be complete transparency around what is involved."

Trade Minister Tim Groser said yesterday it was looking like the agreement would be signed early next year.

"Frankly, the Prime Minister and I both feel that we are probably more likely to get this done than not," he said on TVNZ's Q + A programme.

Mr Groser wanted to clarify that the agreement would be open to debate once the deal was agreed upon.

"I'm extremely confident that the Government will be able to convey to New Zealanders that there is no cause for concern here whatsoever."

Mr Groser said the sticking points were around agriculture.

"The really sensitive issue is agriculture market access, and once again New Zealand, because of the nature of our competitive economy - and we are a little super power in world agriculture - we are the centre of the maelstrom around that."

- Additional reporting Sophie Ryan.