Wanganui joins It's Our Future rally

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Wanganui will join high-profile members of It's Our Future in rallies around New Zealand on Saturday in a move to stop the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement.

Local organiser Raewyn Roberts says the mobilisation will be held in 15 towns and cities, and in Wanganui local councillor Hamish McDouall and environmental sustainability consultant Nelson Lebo will speak on how the terms of the agreement will affect them.

The rallies would express opposition to the secrecy of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) negotiations and the potential threat it posed to New Zealand's national sovereignty and Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Ms Roberts said.

The high-profile It's Our Future (IOF) members include Lisa's Hummus founder Lisa Er, musician Don McGlashan, Warren Lindberg, CEO Public Health Association and economic commentator; musician Moana Maniapoto, Professor Jane Kelsey, Faculty of Law, Auckland University; Society of Authors president Tony Simpson, Public Health practitioner Gay Keating, former Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimmons and Auckland City Councillor Cathy Casey.

New Zealand School of Export director and IOF member Dr Romauld Rudzki says the "secret negotiations are anti-democratic over which New Zealanders have no say, and could well be treasonable".

Ms Maniapoto says intellectual property laws will be a concern under the TPPA.

"I found that out when I could not sing under my name in Germany. Ford, Sony and the US have exclusive rights over Maori icons and other taonga that were guaranteed in our treaty."

IOF spokesman Edward Miller said there was an unprecedented groundswell of public concern over the TPPA.

The rallies follow a campaign in late 2013 that opposed the secrecy of the TPPA, where 26,000 signatures or letters called for release of the draft text.

Last month, the Labour, Greens, NZ First, Mana and Maori parties made similar demands. The national day of action is being co-ordinated by It's Our Future, and is supported by the Green, New Zealand First, Maori and Mana parties.

The TPPA is a mega-deal that has been under secret negotiation for four years, aside from leaked texts.

The 12 countries involved are New Zealand, the United States, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

IOF say enough is known to show that it could impact on a broad range of life, from Pharmac and the internet, give foreign investors the right to sue the Government over tighter mining laws or tobacco control, prevent Buy Kiwi rules for local and central government, stop the establishment of new SOEs, such as Labour's proposed KiwiAssure, and more.

Locals are invited to meet at the Silver Ball sculpture on the riverfront and walk to Majestic Square at 1pm on Saturday to meet for the nationwide rally.