Tauranga City Council is taking up the concerns expressed over the Trans Pacific Partnership agreement.

The TPPA negotiation are secret, but leaked documents raise serious concerns that commercial factions within the United States are using the TPP to include proposals that inhibit or prohibit the exercise of national autonomy and are not trade issues.

Tauranga's voice in national politics.

TPP concerns were brought to the city council during the long term plan submissions and hearings by community group 'Tauranga TPPA Action'.

Areas that may be affected include any preference for local suppliers in procurement policies.

This could affect Pharmac's drug buying, and the health of many New Zealanders.

Concerns have also been expressed by librarians, archivists, scientists and educators about the TPPA's digital rights management (DRM) provisions. DRM is placed on content, such as on DVDs or e-books, to prevent the material from being copied and shared.

While there are fair use provisions that provide exceptions to copyright, the TPPA's provisions would make it extremely difficult for people to access content for these purposes because the tools to break the locks are themselves illegal to distribute and share.

Tauranga City Council's decision aligns it with Auckland Council, Nelson City Council, Christchurch City Council, Dunedin City Council Greater Wellington Regional Council, Wellington City Council Tasman District Council, Horizons Regional Council, Palmerston North City Council, Horowhenua District Council – who have all resolved to encourage the New Zealand Government to conclude negotiations on TPPA in a way that has net positive benefits for regions and NZ.

Councillor Steve Morris supported receiving the report, and part one of the resolution which continues to allow Tauranga City Council and other councils, if they choose, to adopt procurement policies that provide for a degree of local preference; to choose whether particular services or facilities are provided in house, by council-controlled organisations (CCOs) or by contracting out; or to require higher health and safety, environmental protection, employment rights and conditions, community participation, animal protection or human rights standards than national or international minimum standards.

The other eleven paragraphs of the resolution are about issues beyond the reach and scope of the council, says Steve.

Gail McIntosh supported him in the vote for the same reason.

Others disagreed saying the city council has been involved in other national issues including legal highs and local alcohol legislation, and that the message on the TPPA was well within the scope of the council.

Local Government NZ also has TPPA concerns and wrote to Minister of Trade Tim Groser requesting clarity on likely implications for local government in councils' ability to require CCOs to pursue social and cultural objectives, set bylaws which may restrict commercial rights to trade in the interests of public health and safety, set regulations on land use in the interests of social, environmental and cultural objectives.

Tim Groser's response to Local Government New Zealand states that negotiators will not sign an agreement in conflict with New Zealand's interests, and provides an assurance that the TPP will protect all existing local government activity in relation to regulation and service provision.

He says many aspects of the agreement will not apply directly to local government and although this may change in the future, full consultation with the local government sector will occur prior.

'Our goal in TPP is to reduce the barriers our exporters face and improve their competitiveness in the Asia-Pacific region,” says Tim's letter. 'Such an outcome will contribute to our stronger economic performance so that we can generate more jobs and higher incomes for New Zealanders.

'At this stage I also anticipate that government procurement and state-owned enterprises rules in TPP will not apply to regional or local councils.

'However, a future negotiation programme is under discussion which may involve consideration in the future as to whether each TPPA member is prepared to extend commitments on these issues beyond the central level of government,” says Tim.

'No up-front commitments will be made - the undertaking is simply to consider the possible extension of TPP rules. For New Zealand, any such consideration would require extensive consultation with local government in order to formulate a position. This process would likely only begin once TPP has been in effect for some years.

'Our overriding position in the negotiation of regulatory rules in TPP is to ensure that New Zealand preserves policy space to allow all levels of government to continue to regulate for legitimate public policy purposes.”

All of New Zealand's existing agreements have been carefully negotiated to preserve this outcome, while maximising the economic benefit for New Zealand exporters and investors. In TPP, we will likewise hold out for a similar result.

The other points the city council supports are:

Maintain good diplomatic and trade relations and partnerships for Tauranga and New Zealand with other major trading partners not included in the agreement, including with China;

Provides substantially increased access for New Zealand exports into the markets of all the TPP partners.

Does not undermine PHARMAC, raise the cost of medical treatments and medicines or threaten public health measures, such as tobacco control;

Does not give overseas investors or suppliers any greater rights than domestic investors and suppliers, such as through introducing Investor-State Dispute Settlement, or reduce our ability to control overseas investment or finance;

Does not expand intellectual property rights and enforcement in excess of current law;

Does not weaken our public services, require privatisation, hinder reversal of privatisations, or increase the commercialisation of government or of Tauranga City Council or other local government organisations;

Does not reduce our flexibility to support local economic and industry development and encourage good employment and environmental practices and local iniflatives;

Contains enforceable labour clauses requiring adherence to core International Labour Organisation conventions and preventing reduction of labour rights for trade or investment advantage;

Contains enforceable environmental clauses preventing reduction of environmental and biosecurity standards for trade or investment advantage;

Has general exceptions to protect human rights, the environment, the Treaty of Waitangi, and New Zealand's economic and financial stability.

Seven councillors voted in favour, two opposed it and Kelvin clout abstained.