Governments are being accused of being secretive and anti-democratic over the Transpacific Partnership Trade Agreement, with its secret texts that they refuse to disclose to the public, and investment protocols that could bind future governments from being able to protect public services or prevent multinational companies acting as they want.

So to find out more Tertiary Update contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs three times in the last eight weeks asking for information on how the Transpacific Partnership trade negotiations could affect tertiary education. The ministry has repeatedly responded by saying it will get back to us soon.

The questions we sought answers on back in January are:

• How is the agreement likely to impact on the ability of foreign private tertiary education providers to operate in New Zealand on a level playing field with providers based here in New Zealand?
• How will the new agreement distinguish between public and privately provided education – and/or will government procurement of education services be affected by this agreement?
• There has been lots of discussion in the media to date that relates to intellectual property rights. Academics have a keen interest in academic property rights -are those rights likely to be affected by this agreement?

Eight weeks later we have not had a response back to these questions, and the negotiations continue.

The ministry has concluded a fifth round of Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations in Santiago (between 14 to 18 February) and is preparing for a sixth round of negotiations to be held in Singapore in late March.  At the Singapore negotiations, negotiators will be exchanging initial offers for services and investment, and government procurement, both of which could affect tertiary education.

We will report back when or if the ministry answers our questions.