The Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations between Australia, the US and 10 Pacific Rim countries have dragged into 2015 because our campaigning has made a difference.
The negotiations are secret and we won’t see the deal until after it is done.
Send this updated message to Trade Minister Robb today!
The Australian and Chinese governments started negotiating a free trade agreement in 2005 . On November 17, 2014. they announced they had reached agreement in principle on key issues and would finalise and sign the text early in 2015. The text wll remain secret until after Cabinet approves it for signing,
As secret Trans-Pacific (TPP) trade talks resume in New York, an unusually diverse mix of 47 Australian community groups including public health, environment, union, church, development aid and other groups have written an open letter to Trade Minister Robb citing mounting evidence that the TPP is not in the national interest, and demanding that the text be released for public scrutiny before it is signed.
January 27, 2015
A letter from 47 Australian community groups tells Trade Minister that the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is not not in the national interest
The ALP and Greens have responded to community concerns raised by AFTINET and others and have initiated a Senate Inquiry into Australia’s trade agreement process. Currently all trade negotiations are secret and we don’t see the details until after they are signed. The terms of reference mean we can raise concerns about secrecy and lack of democracy, educate politicians and promotes public debate about these concerns.
It is important that the Inquiry receives as many submissions as possible by February 27 2015, so that it holds public hearings and maximises publicity. Here are some suggested short points.
James Crisp reported on January 15 that the European Union won’t decide whether to include the investor- state-dispute-settlement (ISDS) clause in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) until the “final phase of the negotiations” with the US.
The New York Times reported on January 8 that a broad coalition of Democratic lawmakers and activists from organized labor, environmental, religious and civil rights groups is stepping up efforts to stop congress from granting "Fast Track" passage of the TPP, forbidding amendments and allowing only a yes or no vote.
A study by health experts published in late December 2014 examines the potential costs for Australia of a proposal in the leaked intellectual property chapter of the Trans-Pacific Trade deal which would delay the availability of cheaper generic medicines and would cost taxpayers over $205 million in one year,
‘Leaked US proposals in the Trade in the secret Services (TISA) negotiations include rules that would threaten privacy and civil rights protections for digital personal data’ Dr Patricia Ranald, Coordinator of the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network (AFTINET) said today.
Protestors urged Congress not to grant fast-track authority for the TPP, They want Congress to debate the full text of the agreement, and not to support fast-track, which would mean only a yes or no vote
