TPP Urgent letter to the Trade Minister: Don't trade away our health, sovereignty, democracy

Trade Ministers from the 12 TPP countries will meet in Singapore on December 7-9 to make decisions about the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP). But the US is still exerting strong pressure for stronger patent laws which would result in higher medicine prices, and for investor-state dispute settlement clauses, which allow foreign corporations to sue governments over health and environment laws which are seen to 'harm' their interest. This would affect our ability to regulate in the public interest, and undermine our democracy and sovereignty.

We need to act now to ensure that these proposals are rejected.

Please send this new, updated letter to Trade Minister Andrew Robb asking him to reject proposals in the TPP which would increase medicine prices, and allow foreign investors to sue our governments.

Send the letter to Trade Minister Andrew Robb

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Fair Deal or No Deal

The Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA):

Corporate power versus peoples’ rights


The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) is a free trade agreement involving Australia,
the US, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, Japan and Vietnam. Negotiations are secretive, but we know from leaked documents and limited public information
that this agreement is not mainly about trade in goods. The agenda is being driven by the US
on behalf of its global corporations, who want changes to our laws which would suit corporations
but reduce peoples’ rights. Learn more:

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Take Action

Join the campaign for a Fair Deal or No Deal in the TPPA


After three years of negotiations, the push is on to finish. We must ensure that our health, environmental and other laws are decided through democratic processes, not secretly signed away in a trade agreement.

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Action Alert: Korea deal allows corporations to sue - Email Cabinet ministers before it is signed

Australia has just announced the main elements of a trade deal with Korea which includes investor rights to sue governments (ISDS).

The text is still secret because the deal has not yet been signed by Cabinet. The government claims that health and environment legislation have been carved out from the ISDS clauses in the agreement.

But this has proved impossible in other agreements, where investors have pursued cases even when there have been so-called exemptions for health and environment laws.

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Shadow Minister for Trade Penny Wong: TPP must not trade away Australia’s national interest

4/12/2013

Shadow Minister for Trade and Investment, Penny Wong, today published an article in the Financial Review titled 'TPP must not trade away Australia’s national interest'.

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Global TPP Petition by 350.org

3/12/2013

Global climate campaigning organisation 350.org has released a global petition to the governments involved in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, calling on them to publish the text of the TPP as it stands now, to reject proposals that would undermine regulatory power, and to oppose this "corporate power-grab".

Sign the petition: 'Say no to corporate power grabs - reject the Trans-Pacific Partnership'

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What matters more? Corporations or People? Dr Ranald on TPP

3/12/2013

AFTINET's Convener, Dr Patricia Ranald writes for Working Life about upcoming Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations in Singapore.

"There is an agenda for change our domestic legislation which is being driven by US corporate and industry interests. This agenda would permanently limit the ability of governments to regulate in the public interest.

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Seeking a voice for health in the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations

"This week I’m heading to Singapore for a meeting to which I’m not invited. Trade ministers from twelve countries will gather from 7-10 December for the last scheduled meeting for the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement negotiations. I’ll be hovering at the margins, hoping for an audience..." Read More

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The secret trade deal favouring big drug companies

27/11/2013

ABC's The Business aired a short segment on the Trans Pacific Partnership and its impact on medicine prices and public health resources.

Watch the segment here

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TPP questioned in the Senate

26/11/2013

During Senate Estimates last week, the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement was questioned by Senator Penny Wong (Shadow Trade Minister), Senator Peter Whish-Wilson (Greens Trade Spokesperson) and Senator Madigan (Democratic Labour Party).

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