Negotiation of the TPPA is kept confidential, with the NZ government, particularly Trade Minister Tim Groser, refusing to release any draft passages unless and until the negotiators of other countries all agree to a release.

Local interested parties with reservations about TPPA, particularly its intellectual-property provisions have, however, been allowed to make presentations to the negotiators; NZ representation of this kind was particularly strong in the rounds of negotiation in Vietnam and Melbourne.