Democracy In Action: Anti-TPPA protester, Josie Butler, is prevented from presenting her "Dick of the Year" award to New Zealand's Chief TPPA Negotiator, MFAT's David Walker. It seems highly likely that the security personnel, seen here moving in on Ms Butler, were employees of the high-end security firm October Protection. According to the firm's website: "Many of our staff come from military, police, corrections and close protection backgrounds". What sort of “trade deal” have we signed-up to, when its explanatory roadshow requires the protection of former soldiers and policemen?
THE HEAVILY GUARDED Trans-Pacific Partnership’s (TPP) travelling
roadshow came to Christchurch last week. The word “heavily” is used advisedly.
According to the reportage of Josie Butler (who staged a peaceful protest at
the event and was escorted from the auditorium) the roadshow was not only
protected by upwards of 30 police officers, but also by 40 members of the New
Zealand Defence Force. Ms Butler’s reportage further alleges that the roadshow
had at least one other protector – its government appointed chairman,
broadcaster Sean Plunket.
If Ms Butler’s description of the proceedings is accurate,
then it is fair to say that Mr Plunket has opted for an alarmingly heavy-handed
approach to chairing these gatherings. Participants are restricted to asking
questions of the presenters and will be interrupted aggressively if they so
much as attempt to contextualise their queries. Hecklers are summarily ejected.
What was presented to New Zealanders as an opportunity to
participate in a free and frank discussion of the costs and benefits of the
TPP, is being experienced by those attendees not already convinced of the
agreement’s benefits as little more than a crude propaganda exercise. Even worse,
these meetings are alleged to have been conducted in a fashion that treats
dissent as a hostile and potentially criminal act.
Given the strong public feeling which the TPP has aroused,
the manner in which the roadshow is
conducted is very important. Negotiated in secret, and signed by the National Party-led
Government without prior endorsement by the House of Representatives, the TPP
has been presented to the people of New Zealand as a fait accompli. The most
appropriate stance of the person chosen to chair the TPP roadshow is,
therefore, one of democratic scepticism.
The case in favour of the TPP needs to be made in full acknowledgement
of its inherently adversarial nature. After all, the roadshow is the first
official occasion for the public’s direct participation in the TPP debate. Critics
of the deal should, therefore, be encouraged by the Chair to make their case,
and the government’s spokespeople required to answer their criticisms as well
as their questions. If it is true that Mr Plunket’s formidable interrogative
skills are not being used to probe and challenge the statements of the
government’s representatives, but are, instead, being deployed against the
TPP’s critics, then the democratic legitimacy of the roadshow is forfeit.
Certainly, Ms Butler’s description of the Christchurch roadshow makes a strong prima facie case for concern. In her report of the event she states that: “I went to the first security check point which was at the front driveway to the [Rydges] hotel. The guards asked for my ID, and whilst I was getting it out I noticed one of the guys had an army badge pinned to his lapel, I asked him if he was military and he confirmed that all security present today were army personnel.”
Constitutionally-speaking, this claim is particularly alarming.
The only circumstances in which it is justifiable for the Civil Power to call
upon the assistance of the Military Power are those in which there is a
demonstrable threat to life and property. Historically, the involvement of the
Military has been confined to helping out during natural disasters and,
extremely rarely, to the quelling of widespread public disorder – like that
following the 1932 Queen Street Riot. Nothing even remotely resembling such
circumstances were present last Friday in Christchurch.
Urgent efforts must be made to confirm the accuracy of Ms
Butler’s claim. And if it is confirmed that the NZDF was involved in providing
security for the roadshow, then questions need to be asked. First, of the Defence
Minister, and second, of the Police Minister. Did Gerry Brownlee know that the
Military Power had been called upon to assist the Civil Power in Christchurch?
If so, at whose instigation? Does Judith Collins know why the local Police were
deemed unequal to the task of preventing disorder at Rydges Hotel?
Frankly, it would be a whole lot better for New Zealand if
Ms Butler’s record of the Christchurch TPP roadshow turns out to be inaccurate.
That Mr Plunket was, in fact, the soul of politeness and a stalwart facilitator
of free speech and open debate. And that whoever Ms Butler spoke to about his
military lapel badge turns out to have been pulling her leg about the composition of the security detail. Because,
if her version of events is proved correct, then New Zealand is in a world of
trouble.
What sort of “trade deal” have we signed-up to, if its
explanatory roadshow requires the protection of the armed forces? How good can
it be, if those who attempt to criticise its content are cut off in
mid-sentence?
Could it be that those who condemned the TPP as a threat to
democracy were right all along?
This essay was
originally published in The Press of
Tuesday, 15 March 2016.
UPDATE:
On Tuesday, 15 March the author received a call from Nick
Bryant, Gerry Brownlee's media officer. He informed him that, having checked
with both the NZDF and MFAT, the Minister was able to assure him that no
serving military personnel were involved with providing security at the Christchurch
TPPA roadshow event.
When contacted, Josie Butler strongly reiterated her claim
that the security personnel hailed from the military.
An appeal for assistance was issued over social media which
quickly produced a link to a private security firm called October Protection.
According to its website:
October Protection is a Christchurch based security and
protection company with branches in Auckland, Wellington, Queenstown, Dunedin
and associates throughout New Zealand. We provide industry-leading hospitality
security, along with VIP transport, helicopter services, secure event, travel
and accommodation packages New Zealand wide ….. Many of our staff come from
military, police, corrections and close protection backgrounds and their
experience is diverse and extensive, providing October Protection with a vast
array of specialist skills.
It would seem that both Josie Butler and the Minister were telling
the truth.
This Update is exclusive to Bowalley Road.
