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QPEC is seeking a Parliamentary Select Committee Investigation into GATS.
This issue is one which repeatedly comes in “under the radar” of the media and general public awareness is extremely low. This is because the negotiations continue over many years behind closed doors with no public input and little apparent government consideration as to their effect on our public services.
This despite the prediction from investment bankers Merrill Lynch that through GATS and commercial pressures all education worldwide will be privatised within 10 years and that there are massive profits to be made for multinational corporations.
Last year the government gave public reassurances that the scope of GATS covered only New Zealand's private sector in education. We have been sceptical of the value of those assurances and the decision of a GATS Disputes committee last November has confirmed our worst fears.
The decision arose from a dispute between Antigua and the US about cross border gambling services. (Disputes between countries over GATS are decided by a GATS disputes committee—run by free-marketeers—in Geneva) This decision said in part –
“Members' regulatory sovereignty is an essential pillar of the progressive liberalization of trade in services, but this sovereignty ends whenever rights of other Members under the GATS are impaired.” WTO Panel, “United States—Measures Affecting the Cross-border Supply of Gambling and Betting Services”, November 2004.
Translating this to New Zealand services – education and otherwise – would mean that the government's best endeavours to protect public education could well be futile. The GATS decision says quite plainly that a government cannot protect services from claims that arise under GATS when commitments have been made as New Zealand has in education. As things stand our public education services are only exempt under GATS rules provided they are not in competition with private providers and are not funded in a commercial manner. As neither situation applies here our public education services are as exposed as the US gambling industry which lost in the above ruling.
We hope the committee will agree that it is time this issue received parliamentary scrutiny...
Media Release—14 September 2003
QPEC has this evening sent a message to Prime Minister Helen Clark, Trade Negotiations Minister Jim Sutton and Education Minister Trevor Mallard asking the government to reject the draft WTO Ministerial agreement being considered for release at the Cancun negotiations.
Paragraph 6 of the draft agreement concerns the GATS negotiations which have the aim of opening up all service sectors – including education – to foreign corporations to plunder and privatise these services worldwide. Two years ago investment bankers Merrill Lynch predicted that through GATS and commercial pressures all education worldwide will be privatised within 10 years and that there are massive profits to be made for multinational corporations.
The draft paragraph in question would not only increase pressure on all countries to sacrifice their education systems for private profit but rides roughshod over mounting international opposition to the inclusion of core public services in the agreement.
The full release can be read here WTO_-_GATS_-_MR_-_14_September_2003.doc (38,912 bytes) [HTML Version]
Full release can be read here HRN_Invitation_GATS_-_May_2003.DOC (11,776 bytes) [HTML Version]
Full notice can be read here Urgent_-_GATS_and_Education_meeting_-_11_March_2003.doc (35,328 bytes) [HTML Version]
Full media release can be read here MR_re_pub_Mtg_-_11_March_2003.doc (35,840 bytes) [HTML Version]
27 February 3003
Introduction: QPEC is an incorporated society of parents and educators. We draw together people with interests across the education sector from pre-school to tertiary with the aim of strengthening our public education system. In pursuing this QPEC has the following aims— · To promote education as a basic human right available to everyone through a quality public education system based on social justice and equity · To provide a public forum to counter the trend towards marketisation of education · To promote co-operation instead of competition between individual schools and between state and integrated schools · To facilitate debate based on accurate information · To initiate and disseminate research · To inform parents and communities about sound educational practices · To advocate systems and processes through which students, parents and teachers can be heard · To support parents experiencing difficulties within the system.
It is in line with several of the aims listed above that QPEC makes this submission.
Submission Points:
1. We are deeply disappointed at the lack of time available to groups to make submissions on the New Zealand response to GATS. The corporate sector has had many years to influence government policy and yet community groups have been given just 3 weeks to prepare submissions. This reluctantly given, last-minute consultation opportunity seems like a “going through the motions” exercise rather than a desire to genuinely consult the wider community. We have been unable to prepare a full submission in the 3 weeks allocated time and we therefore request the government extend the time for this consultation and initiate an informed public debate.
2. The overall objective of GATS is clear. To liberalise (commercialise and privatise) services worldwide—including education. More honestly than our own Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials, investment bankers Merrill-Lynch have predicted that through commercial pressures and GATS all education worldwide will be privatised over the next 10 years and for private corporations there will be massive financial gains to be made. In this, the GATS assault on public services is a new phase in the savaging of the New Zealand economy and services by the corporate sector since 1984.
The full QPEC submission can be read here Submission_on_GATS_-_27_February_2003.doc (47,104 bytes) [HTML Version]
Public Notice—25 February 2003
Very Sexy indeed for multinational corporations who salivate at the prospect. So whay is it important to students, teachers, lecturers throughout our public education sector.
GATS (the General Agreement on Trade in Services) is one of 15 international agreements being progressively negotiated in secret under the auspices of the WTO (World Trade Organisation). This agreement seeks to liberalise (commercialise and privatise) trade in services—including education.
In a bald statement of where GATS is heading investment bankers Merrill Lynch have predicted that through commercial pressures and GATS all education world-wide will be privatised over the next 10 years and for private corporations there will be massive financial gains to be made...
The full notice can be read here Pub_Mtg_Notice_-_25_February_2003.doc (36,352 bytes) [HTML Version]
Media Release—1 December 2002
We were extremely surprised to learn in a letter from Jim Sutton dated 13 November—copy attached with this media release—that Minister of Education Trevor Mallard has never requested any briefing on the actual or potential effects of the GATS (General Agreement on Trade in Services) agreement on New Zealand's public education system and that none have been prepared.
This is an astonishing admission and a grave concern because it is obvious from even a casual perusal of the GATS general rules that the effects will be profound and uncompromisingly negative. These effects include
· New Zealand being unable to restrict any foreign education provider from setting up in this country · The government being forced to provide subsidies to these foreign providers on the same basis as it funds local providers—including even our public schools as well as our universities and polytechs · New Zealand losing its ability to legislate for high quality public services without paying compensation to private providers from foreign countries
The full release can be read here MR_re_Mallard_and_OIA_-_26_November_2002.doc (36,352 bytes) [HTML Version]
Article 29 November 2002—Published in New Zealand Herald
A quiet revolution is being organised for our public services.
Unlike the very public revolution led by Roger Douglas and the Labour Party in the 1980's the current Labour Government is keeping this revolution very quiet. It is coming about through GATS (General Agreement on Trade in Services) which is one of 15 international agreements being negotiated under the auspices of the WTO (World Trade Organisation).
The agreement aims to “liberalise” trade in services—meaning to open them up to private enterprise without government restrictions or regulations. “Services” here means “anything you can't drop on your foot” according to our Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and includes our education system. In fact all our state services are included except defence.
The full article can be read here Gats_-_Article_-_November_2002.doc (37,376 bytes) [HTML Version]