1. Successful launch of organisational endorsements of AFTINET statement of concerns about USFTA
2. Senate Inquiry report released
3. ALP statement about culture and the USFTA
4. Reports of FTAA meeting in Miami
5. AFTINET AGM and new working group
6. Call for Sydney volunteers for Active Sydney Fair, evening of 8 December

1. Successful launch of organisational endorsements of AFTINET USFTA statement

Thanks to the organisations and individuals who have endorsed AFTINET’s statement of concerns about the USFTA.

On 24 November we held a media conference at NSW Parliament House to launch the organisational endorsements of the statement of concerns. The statement has been endorsed by 61 organisations.

The conference, which was well attended by the media, was hosted by Dr. Meredith Burgmann, President of the Legislative Council and was facilitated by Tina Bursill, actress. The speakers were John Howard, actor, Maree O'Halloran, President of the NSW Teachers Federation, Megan Mitchell, Director of the Australian Council of Social Service, Bishop Pat Power of the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council, The Rev. Harry Herbert, Executive Director of UnitingCare NSW.ACT, Peter Trebilco, Acting President of the Public Health Association of Australia, Dr Robert Marr of the Doctors' Reform Society, and Georgia Miller, NSW Environment Liaison Officer.

All spoke very well about the risks posed by the USFTA. The event received coverage on SBS TV news, ABC Radio (The World Today), ABC online news and community radio.

We will continue to collect endorsements of the statement, as further events are planned during the next few weeks.

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2. Senate Inquiry report into GATS and USFTA released

The Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee released the report of its inquiry into GATS and the USFTA on 27 November. The report is available on the Committee’s webpage http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/FADT_CTTE/gats/report/index.htm

AFTINET will circulate an analysis of the report shortly. An initial look at the report suggests it is a very positive one, and that nearly all of the recommendations suggested by AFTINET have been adopted.

Thanks to all who made submissions and gave evidence to the inquiry.

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3. ALP statement about culture and the USFTA

Howard and Vaile sell out Australian Film Industry: Joint Statement by Labor Leader Simon Crean, and Shadow Minister For The Arts Senator Kate Lundy, 21 November 2003

The Howard Government has reneged on its commitment to protect Australia's cultural identity, admitting that it is prepared to trade away in the Free Trade Agreement negotiations with the US any ability to support and regulate for local film, television and new media now and in the future.

Despite assurances to industry and the Australian people, the Howard Government is intent on selling out Australian culture by allowing existing Australian content rules to be scrapped or capped in a bid to deliver an Australian/US Free Trade Agreement.

This comes at a time when production of Australian feature films has plunged by one third, down from 30 to 19 in 2002/03. Expenditure on feature film and drama production is also down by 23% to $513 million.

The survival of Australia's film and television industry is at stake. We must not allow the Howard Government to trade away the right of every Australian both now and in the future to create and share in Australia's identity through the production of feature films and television programs that portray the diversity of Australian life, culture and heritage.

All Australians have the right to hear our stories. Without the ability to determine future local content provisions, and provide strategic financial support, the economics of the film and television industry determine that Australian stories will simply not be told.

Our cultural identity is unique and defines who we are as a nation. Labor is not prepared to sit by and see it used as a cheap bargaining chip. Labor demands an exclusion clause for all present and future cultural content in any Free Trade Agreement with the United States.  This would be consistent with the Free Trade Agreement recently negotiated with Singapore.

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US and Latin American countries met in Miami in late November for a Ministerial Meeting on the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). The meeting finished a day early, on 20 November, with Ministers endorsing a text seen by many commentators as a rebuff to the US.

The US is seeking a comprehensive FTAA including chapters on investment and intellectual property. Brazil in particular did not support the inclusion of these matters. Although the 20 November text does not close off the possibility of a comprehensive FTAA, it would appear to make it less likely because of its endorsement of the idea of separate agreements between countries on these issues.

As the following extract from an Amnesty International Media Release explains, there were confrontations between police and protestors at demonstrations around the FTAA.

Allegations of excessive use of force and ill treatment of protestors in Miami

Extract from Amnesty International Media Release, 26 November 2003

Amnesty International called today for a full and independent inquiry into allegations of excessive use of force by police during demonstrations in Miami on 20th November. The organization has also received dozens of reports of ill treatment of those detained during the demonstration.

Police are reported to have fired rubber bullets and used batons, pepper spray, tear gas canisters and concussion grenades on crowds demonstrating against the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) negotiations, leaving some people hospitalized and dozens more treated for injuries. Scores of people, including journalists and observers, were arrested during the demonstration, some reportedly subjected to ill treatment in detention. Amnesty International is currently gathering more information on the reported violations.

"The level of force used by police does not appear to have been at all justified." Amnesty International said, noting reports that only a small minority of demonstrators had engaged in acts of violence.

Miami Police Chief John Timoney today issued a letter to the media stating that his department would be undertaking a comprehensive review of the FTAA security operation and would produce a public report.

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The AFTINET AGM was held on 19 November. The annual report and financial report were accepted by the membership, and a new Working Group nominated for the next year. Many of those on the Working Group are continuing on from the previous year. The Working Group members for the next year are:

Carolyn Allen
John Briggs, ASU
Lesley Gruit, CPSU (SPSF)
Alyosha Jacobson
Suzette Clark, Australian Catholic Social Justice Council
Alister Kentish, AMWU
Frances Milne, Economic Reform Australia
Patricia Ranald, Public Interest Advocacy Centre
Alison Healey, The Grail (NSW)
Ann Wansbrough, UnitingCare NSW.ACT

Thanks to all those who attended the meeting or sent apologies and/or proxies.

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6. Call for Sydney volunteers for Active Sydney Fair, evening of 8 December

AFTINET will have a stall at the Active Sydney Fair 3, on the evening of 8 December. We need 3 or 4 volunteers to help us with the stall, so if you are interested please contact Louise Southalan on 9299 7833 or lsouthalan@piac.asn.au

Details of the Active Sydney Fair are below:

Active Sydney Fair 3
Hosted by the UTS Research Initiative into International Activism
When: Monday, December 8^th, 6pm to 10pm
Where: UTS Concourse, University of Technology, Broadway, Sydney

Join Active Sydney, Starhawk, the UTS Research Initiative into International Activism, Sydney Indymedia and the rest of Sydney's wonderfully diverse activist community at the Active Sydney Fair 2003. Find out about the diverse activist community in Sydney at an open, cooperative, peaceful and non hierarchical fair.

More information is available from the website: http://www.active.org.au/sydney/

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