Secrecy of TPP negotiations to be tested in New Zealand court

Doctors, environment campaigners and other groups have joined forces in a court action to force the New Zealand government to reveal documents regarding the controversial 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal, which is in the final stage of negotiation.

University of Auckland law professor Jane Kelsey, a long-time advocate of transparency around the secret talks, said Friday that the group of interested parties had lodged an urgent application for a judicial review of Trade Minister Tim Groser's "blanket refusal" to release information she officially requested in January.

The request reflected the categories of documents recommended for release in a report by the European Union Ombudsman into the secrecy of the parallel negotiations for a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership between the U.S. and European Union.

Co-applicants in the New Zealand proceedings included consumer advocate group Consumer NZ, the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, Greenpeace and the development charity Oxfam, among others, Kelsey said in a statement.

The group had been required to wait for a report by New Zealand 's Ombudsman before the denial of the request could be judicially reviewed.

"While we would have preferred to bring the case earlier, it remains crucially important to secure release of information before any deal is done and dusted, and to clarify the rules for future negotiations," Kelsey said.

Opponents of the 12-nation TPP say the deal threatens to undermine the sovereignty of the nations involved by giving corporations greater powers to fight government regulation.

Prime Minister John Key has admitted that the agreement would drive up the cost of medicines in New Zealand if the country accedes to the stronger patent laws that the United States has demanded. Endi