Your letters: We mustn't sign TPPA II

TPPA dangers

The Government is about to sign a new trade agreement called the TPPA-II. The signing off of this agreement is patently wrong.

A National Interest Analysis places the economic benefits of the agreement between 0.3 and 1 per cent of GDP. This benefit is minuscule when compared to the costs of signing the TPPA. One of those costs is that the New Zealand Government, through a mechanism called ISDS, can be sued for passing legislation in the future that may impact the profits of a corporation.

This inhibits future governments' ability to pass legislation that is in the best interest of New Zealanders. This is not fantasy, this is fact, and other countries, with such agreements, have already been sued.

The cost of litigation and any award given to the corporate will be paid by the taxpayer. There are many, many other costs associated with this agreement.

I urge this Government to show some political backbone and not sign this agreement, and I urge people who have looked into the cost benefits of this agreement to petition the Government to change its position.

HALIM SHERIDAN
Whanganui

What whales?

It was good to read about Patea Area School teacher Kate Paris and her move to South Taranaki. As a local boy myself, I can confirm the district is one of the best places in New Zealand to live.

I do have to challenge her and Greenpeace, though, on the topic of a South Taranaki blue whale sanctuary. While we all want to look after these precious creatures, it has to be based on science and fact.

Instead of just picking ad hoc areas to ban industries from operating, we need to consider a proper, graduated network of marine protection around the whole country.

A Niwa survey this summer struggled to find any blue whales at all around the South Taranaki Bight, which shows our knowledge of their distribution is not as good as it could be.

The proposal for a sanctuary in our region could unfairly hit the oil and gas industry, which has a proud history of operating carefully and safely in the region.

In fact, our industry is one of the reasons Taranaki is such an attractive place to live. The jobs, investment and support into our communities have been substantial and I don't believe locals want to throw that away.

CAMERON MADGWICK
CEO, Petroleum Exploration and Production Association of New Zealand

Make it legal

Entrepreneurs are the backbone of a successful society. They recognise a need and proceed to manufacture and sell the product this need is creating, meaning more wealth and jobs.

The front page of our Chronicle (February 23) has an article of an entrepreneurial couple meeting a need by growing cannabis and manufacturing the product in demand, being arrested by police using an ineffectual, outdated law.

A police spokesman has said it's ineffectual to arrest these people, yet this law forces police to use their sparse resources and fill our jails, which the ministry says are nearly full, and a $1 billion new prison is needed. It is not. There is plenty of space if they just left the pot smokers and growers out to get on with lives.

Taxpayers can find plenty of better uses for this money — hungry children for one; their parents are in jail for smoking pot, so can't feed them.

What we have to do is easy: Rescind the law that says it's illegal, and all the smokers can stop being criminals and carry on with their lives.

I can guarantee the world won't go to pot, but we will have a lot fewer criminals.

G R SCOWN
Whanganui

Send your letters to: The Editor, Wanganui Chronicle, 100 Guyton St, PO Box 433, Wanganui 4500; or email editor@wanganuichronicle.co.nz