TPPA Campaign: Don’t trade away health, labour, cultural and environmental policies

Latest TPPA News: 

December 2011 - Campaign victory: Fair Trade amendments to the ALP Platform

Our campaign for fair trade had an impact at the ALP National Conference, held at Darling Harbour from 2nd-3rd December 2011.

The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, a member of AFTINET, moved amendments to the trade section of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) platform, which is the public statement of the party's policy.

Although the platform still has a strong commitment to free trade, it now has for the first time a commitment to enforceable labour rights and environmental protections in trade agreements. 

There is also explicit policy against greater rights for foreign investors than domestic investors, which means against investor-state dispute processes which allow a single foreign company to sue a government for damages if a law harms their investment.

There is also an amended resolution on the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement, which although it says the agreement has some prospects for increased export and employment in export industries, now also contains a series of commitments on the issues that we have been campaigning about. This means there is a commitment that the agreement must not undermine the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (which regulates the prices of medicines) or the ability of governments to have cultural and quarantine policies. Governments must retain the ability to regulate foreign investment and to have industry development policies, research and development policies, regional development policies, environmental, development and procurement policies. The agreement must not give foreign investors greater rights than domestic investors. There is also an explicit commitment to enforceable labour rights and environmental protections in the agreement.

Of course, having a policy on paper does not guarantee implementation, but it gives us another lever for our campaign.

The full amended 2011 ALP platform will be published on the ALP website, but may take a while, as it is very long and there were lots of amendments. The trade policy is at the end of chapter 2. See www.alp.org.au.

 

November 2011 - Pacific Trade Pact misses APEC deadline as community groups slam US proposals on medicines and corporate rights

 

“The APEC meeting in Hawaii was meant to conclude the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, a new free trade deal between the US, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Peru, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam.  But the deal has been delayed because of controversial proposals tabled by the US, and negotiations will continue into 2012,” Dr  Patricia Ranald, Convener of the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network of 60 community groups (AFTINET), said today.

For more information follow this link to our TPPA campaign page.

For a full copy of the media release follow this link.

October 2011 - Letter to Trade Minister calling for democratic scrutiny of the TPPA.  

The ninth round of negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) between the US, Australia, and seven other countries starts in Lima, Peru, on October 19. Over 25 Australian community groups, including the ACTU and 7 national unions, the Catholic Social Justice Council and Uniting World, the Australian Conservation Foundation, the Public Health Association and pensioner groups are calling on governments to release draft text of the proposed agreement, and to release a document which reportedly restricts access to negotiating documents for four years after the conclusion of the negotiations.

For a copy of the Letter and media release follow this link.

June 2010: Community Education Leaflet

June 2011: Leaflet on Workers Rights v the TPPA

September 2011: Leaflet on Health and the TPPA

TPPA resources, including important websites and information are available on our TPPA resources page by following this link.

What you can do in the TPPA Campaign:

Check back regularly and follow the links below to take action and to find out more about the campaign.

You can place a link to the AFTINET website on your Facebook, personal internet or other social media page and urge people to follow the link and sign the petition. Copy this link and place it on your page: www.aftinet.org.au.

You can place a link to the AFTINET Face Book page on your Facebook, personal internet or other social media page and urge people to follow the link and sign the petition. Copy this link and place it on your page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Aftinet/219004528130731?sk=wall

You can send an email directly to Trade Minister Dr Craig Emerson by following this link.

You can download and send a letter to Trade Minister Dr Craig Emerson by following this link.

You can organise a visit to your local Member of Parliament to let them know your concerns about the TPPA, use the Community Education Leaflet as a talking point.

Follow this link to our TPPA Campaign Page.

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Phillip Morris fights Plain Packaging Proposals.

AFTINET has called upon the Australian government to stand firm on tobacco plain packaging legislation, and withdraw from restrictive treaties.

“The move by Philip Morris tobacco company to sue the Australian government using an obscure bilateral investment treaty with Hong Kong shows the dangers of signing trade or investment treaties which could give corporations the right to sue governments over legitimate health or other public interest regulation,” Dr Patricia Ranald, Convener of the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network said today.

For copy of the media release follow this link to download.

ANU Academic Dr Kyla Teinhaara has written an op-ed published in the Canberra Times in response to Phillip Morris lodgeing its suit. The op-ed is available from: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/opinion/editorial/general/air-of-intrigue-in-move-against-plain-packaging/2368972.aspx.

ANU Academics Dr Kyla Teinhaara and Associate Professor Thomas Faunce have had an op-ed published in the Canberra Times on this subject. Follow this link to read the article. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/opinion/editorial/general/gillard-must-repel-big-tobaccos-latest-attack/2209168.aspx?storypage=0.

La Trobe University Academics Deborah Gleeson and Associate Professor David Legge have written an article on this subject which appears on "The Conversation" website. Follow this link to read the article.http://theconversation.edu.au/big-tobacco-v-australia-dangers-looming-in-the-trans-pacific-partnership-agreement-1943.

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PACER-Plus

Latest Pacer Plus Media:

PACER-Plus - Australia must support an Independent Trade Adviser and Pacific Island Sovereignty.

September 2011 - The Office of Chief Trade Adviser funding issue hots up.

12th September 2011:

Will Australia and New Zealand really allow sovereignty to Pacific Countries on Trade Decisions

AFTINET and AID/WATCH released a joint media statement on 12th September calling on the Australian government to reflect on the outcomes of the Pacific Island Leaders meeting and honour the sovereignty of the Pacific Island Countries. For a copy of the media release follow this link.

2nd September 2011:

NGOs tell Australia to Respect Island Country Sovereignty – Australia Risks its Reputation in the Pacific

The Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG) and AFTINET released a joint media statement on 2nd September calling on the Australian government to respect the sovereignty of the Pacific Island Countries. For a copy of the media release follow this link.

30th August 2011 - 1st September 2011:

ABC Pacbeat Interviews on funding of the Office of Chief Trade Adviser.

The funding saga surrounding the Office of Chief Trade Adviser (OCTA) drags on, with a battle raging on ABC's PACBeat. It culminated with the OCTA claiming Australia was attempting to undermine the sovereignty of the Pacific Island Countries.

Greens slam Australia's handling of Pacific Chief Trade Advisor office - August 30, 2011:
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacbeat/stories/201108/s3305952.htm

Aust rejects Greens' claims on Pacific trade funding - August 31, 2011: http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacbeat/stories/201108/s3306347.htm

Pac Trade Advisor says funding offer challenges Pacific sovereignty - September 1, 2011: http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacbeat/stories/201109/s3307353.htm

For more detail and reports follow this link to our PACER-Plus Campaign page. 

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India-Australia FTA - Submissions due by 16th September, 2011.

DFAT have extended the deadline for submissions on the proposed India-Australia FTA with a new closing date of Friday 16th September 2011. We encourage members to make submissions.

A copy of the AFTINET submission is available by following this link.

For more information follow this link to our India-Australia FTA Page.

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WTO -Update

AFTINET has been active as usual in 2011 on the negotiations undertaken in the WTO.

On 17^th November 2011 AFTINET sent a letter requesting that the Minister commit Australia to WTO reform which:

• Facilitates Financial Stability not financial Deregulation
• Focuses on Jobs and Industrial Development policy space
• Maintains the right to protect policy space for development
• Provides Access to Affordable Health and Medicines
• Supports Food Security and Sovereignty
• Protects Biodiversity and Bans the Patenting of Life
• Acknowledges that WTO is not the venue for establishing climate change policy

For a copy of the letter follow this link.

For more information and materials please follow this link to our WTO Campaign Page.

Vanuatu Accession

The Vanuatu Government and parliament is considering Vanuatu's accession to the WTO. Civil society, churches, chamber of commerce and many more Vanuatu organisations and invididuals have called for support in their campaign to stop the accession.

AFTINET has written a letter of support which you can download by following this link. 

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Australian Trade Policy Review Released:

On Tuesday 12th April 2011, Dr Craig Emerson Australian Trade Minister, released the much anticipated review of Australia’s Trade Policy.

The policy contains some wins for AFTINET’s community campaign.

To read more and/or download the AFTINET analysis and Media Release follow this link.

AFTINET has received some media coverage of our response to the Trade Policy Review.

ABC Radio – Pacific Beat: http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacbeat/stories/201104/s3189592.htm

Peter Martin’s Blog: http://www.petermartin.com.au/2011/04/emersons-new-trade-policy-is-mostly.html 

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Robin Hood Tax Campaign:

Reckless deregulation of financial services, encouraged by some free trade agreements, contributed to the GFC. Governments must have full rights to regulate financial institutions in the public interest, not limited by free trade agreements. A Robin Hood tax would slow speculation and raise much needed revenue.

You can now send an email to Australian Treasurer Wayne Swan from the Robin Hood Tax website

Follow this link to our webpage on the campaign or this link to the Robin Hood Tax website: