Prime Minister John Key’s decision to push through a deal with the Trans Pacific Partnership has caused speculation among those who don’t entirely understand the deal and of course, outrage for those who understand none of it yet think they do.

Our population can be small-minded like that; here is a chance to ensure New Zealand’s produce sector is given every opportunity to flourish, as well as ensuring the financial prosperity of the nation as a whole, and what do our resident team of ‘contrarians against change, particularly-if-it-involves-the-possibility-of-fiscal-betterment-for-anyone-at-all, activists’ do?

They like to grab at a very little part of the information on whatever topic it is currently fashionable to deride then, without so much as even bothering to try and gain full comprehension of the facts or to perhaps come forward and pose a few reasonable questions, they throw together a number of unrealistic reasons that this prospect will be damaging to New Zealand and – let’s be fair – the environment therein then waste an innumerable amount of money and resources staging protest after protest; feverishly, irrationally lobbying against a cause which, I think deep down they know is worthwhile and know furthermore, they will never stop…

Anyway, the TPP has been a thing for a while now. Leader of the Opposition, Andrew Little has been seen at the centre of many interviews regarding just this Agreement.

…Ultimately I think this group of recurring contrarians just like to encumber national progress, also to feel as though they have had an influencing hand in big decisions.

Mr Little’s problem as I see it is that now the TPP has gone ahead and has already been shown to unequivocally be of future benefit to the nation, he can’t rightly say he disagrees with it for fear of being labelled illogical or, in my opinion, stupid, but of course nor can he say he is in agreement because that would, heaven forbid, have him siding with National.

It’s a dilly of a pickle alright and that right there, that is why I chose never to become leader of a major political party.

Article by Tim Walker

Edited by Polly Utti Kell

Photography by  Con Tray Dashen