2003 Bulletins Index

AFTINET Bulletin No 78
17 December 2003

  • Update on USFTA negotiations and campaign
  • Regional AFTINET members hold strong concerns over USFTA
  • WTO aims to revive stalled talks next year
  • Internet animation on USFTA and cultural protection
  • Fair Wear Christmas theatrical action, Sydney 6pm Thursday 18 December

AFTINET Bulletin No 77
4 December 2003

  • Senate Inquiry report: fax or email the Minister
  • Australia Institute: new report on USFTA and pharmaceuticals
  • US Drug Industry Seeks to Sway Prices Overseas
  • US and Australian organisations criticise USFTA

AFTINET Bulletin No 76
28 November 2003

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

AFTINET Bulletin No 75
12 November 2003

  • USFTA campaign accelerates in the media
  • EU shifts stance on deadlocked WTO trade talks

AFTINET Bulletin No 74
31 October 2003

  • Free trade clause would be a dangerous weakening of the law
  • Letter to Trade Minister from environmental organisations regarding USFTA
  • Environmental study predicts link between USFTA and greater water use
  • US Free Trade Agreement Teach In: Sydney 5 November

AFTINET Bulletin No 73
24 October 2003

  • Support from US to leave drugs out of US Free Trade talks
  • Australia Thai Free Trade Agreement
  • British Cancun Report calls for WTO rethink
  • EU/developing countries Joint Parliamentary Assembly Opposes Liberalisation of Water

AFTINET Bulletin No 72
16 October 2003

  • Not too late to send in signed endorsements on USFTA!
  • Don’t be BUSHWACKED. Protest against the USFTA at Sydney anti George Bush rally 19 October
  • Canberra USFTA rally 27 October, 12.30pm. Come if you can!
  • WA events 16 to 24 October
  • Free Fair Wear Training, Sydney, 5 November

AFTINET Bulletin No 71
8 October 2003

  • Sydney Cancun report back seminar
  • W(h)ither the WTO after Cancun?
  • Trade Officials Poll Reveals Little Hope For Quick Progress in Doha Round Talks
  • Members of Parliament Hail Kenyan Trade Minister for Leading WTO Walkout

AFTINET Bulletin No 70
25 September 2003

  • New USFTA sign-on statement: please endorse as soon as possible
  • Rally against the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement: 27 October Canberra
  • Whither the WTO after Cancun? Sydney seminar, 14 October
  • Canberra hearing: Senate GATS / USFTA inquiry, 2 October
  • The Meaning of Cancun
  • ‘Free to be Australian’ Public Meeting: Sydney, 6 October

AFTINET Bulletin No 69
17 September 2003

  • Whither the WTO after Cancun? Sydney WTO report back, 14 October
  • Canberra USFTA rally, 27 October
  • Failed Cancun talks throw up new trade power

AFTINET Bulletin No 68
15 September 2003

  • Media release: WTO failure is a win
  • Collapse of WTO talks

AFTINET Bulletin No 67
12 September 2003

  • Agriculture now centre stage at Cancun
  • South Korean NGO leader in WTO suicide protest
  • Globalisation Roundtable, Perth 20 September

AFTINET Bulletin No 66
10 September 2003

  • Joint Australian and US Unions’ Statement on the Aust-US Free Trade Agreement
  • USFTA Local Government Resolution: take it to your council
  • Write to the ALP about its USFTA policy
  • Health Care At Risk: Seminar Sydney 20 September
  • ABC in Crisis Public Forum: Sydney 28 September

AFTINET Bulletin No 65
2 September 2003

  • Events for the WTO Ministerial Meeting, September 10-14
  • Websites for the WTO Ministerial Meeting
  • Democracy and Developing Countries in the cold at WTO Ministerial Meeting
  • Flawed WTO drugs deal will do little to secure future access to medicines in developing countries (30 August 2003)
  • GATS call to Cancun: essential services like water out of the WTO: sign by Sept 4th

AFTINET Bulletin No 64
15 August 2003

  • New AFTINET leaflet about PBS
  • Write to Mark Vaile about the PBS
  • US wants reform of ‘unfair’ PBS
  • US trade deal may triple drug cost

AFTINET Bulletin No 63
31 July 2003

  • Draft AFTINET submission to DFAT on WTO negotiations: comments by August 11
  • Draft Cancun Ministerial text released: NGOs critical
  • Sydney: volunteers needed for AFTINET mailout Wednesday 6 August
  • Reminder: AFTINET training Sydney 27 August
  • New book on the politics of the WTO

AFTINET Bulletin No 62
24 July 2003

  • Senate Committee hearings and successful rally Sydney 23 July
  • New AFTINET training Sydney, 27 August
  • Visit your local member about the USFTA! Project underway
  • Free trade deal is bad medicine
  • US trade deal may end in court
  • Trade deal's protected areas

AFTINET Bulletin No 61
17 July 2003

  • Reminder: AFTINET Lunchtime Rally Sydney 23 July on USFTA and GATS
  • Reminder: Submissions to DFAT on WTO negotiations due 15 August
  • Visit your local member about the USFTA Campaign about to begin
  • ALP and Democrat dissent on Singapore Australia Free Trade Agreement
  • Keep investment pacts off Cancun's agenda
  • USFTA event Perth 26 July

AFTINET Bulletin No 60
1 July 2003

  • Rally 1 pm, 23 July in Sydney to support Senate Hearing on GATS and USFTA
  • DFAT’s USFTA statements: focus on abolition is misleading

AFTINET Bulletin No 59
11 June 2003

  • Zoellick Says FTA Candidates Must Support U.S. Foreign Policy
  • USTR Agenda Spread Over Multiple Fronts
  • MEAA launches new campaign on USFTA / US Words No Comfort For Aussie Film and Television Industry
  • Reminder: GATS and USFTA training: Sydney, 1 July
  • George Monbiot speaks in Sydney

AFTINET Bulletin No 58
20 May 2003

  • Successful launch of new AFTINET leaflet ‘Trading Australia Away?’ - Order your copies now!
  • Resumed US trade negotiations a threat to prescription medicine costs - Shadow Trade Minister’s statement
  • US to confront EU on genetically modified foods
  • 'I was wrong about free trade’ - Former British trade and industry secretary
  • Sydney USFTA symbolic rally – Friday 30 May, at 131 Macquarie St
  • Working bee - Wednesday 28 May

AFTINET Bulletin No 57
7 May 2003

  • AFTINET USFTA publication launch: 20 May at Parliament House, Sydney
  • Business Roundtable Readies P.R. Campaign To Back Global Trade Talks
  • New Oxfam report calls proposed WTO agreement on investment "a disaster for development"
  • African countries don’t want to start negotiating new issues in WTO
  • Political Economy Conference – University of Sydney, 9 May 2003
  • Workshop on the world water crisis and Australia’s water – Sydney, 31 May 2003

AFTINET Bulletin No 55
18 March 2003

  • US Free Trade Agreement leaflet and letter this week and Senate Submissions
  • Social policy fears over trade deal
  • Successful GATS Day of Action
  • AFTINET meetings with DFAT
  • New Report Shows Negative Impacts, Threats Of Water Privatisation
  • WTO fears Bush go-it-alone role

AFTINET Bulletin No 54
5 March 2003

  • GATS Action 11 March: 12.00 at Sydney Water Offices
  • Vaile announces objectives for USFTA
  • Community Forum on GATS and USFTA: Sunday 16 March
  • Cancellation of meeting on the impact of GATS and USFTA on media and broadcasting, 30 March
  • Reminder about Senate inquiry submission date: 21 March

AFTINET Bulletin No 53
13 February 2003

  • Louise Southalan starts work and drafts GATS submission circulated to members
  • GATS campaigners score victory on EU health, education and broadcasting, but condemn EU on postal, environmental and other services
  • US Government stalls on access to medicines for developing countries
  • US Service Industry demands in the US-Australia Free Trade Agreement

AFTINET Bulletin No 52
16 January 2003

  • AFTINET submission on Australia-US Free Trade Agreement
  • DFAT GATS Discussion Paper: Comments by 24 February 2003
  • Senate GATS and FTA Inquiry submissions due 21 March 2003

AFTINET Bulletin No 51
8 January 2003

  • Churches launch global campaign on trade and human rights
  • US bilateral FTA talks with Central America start in January
  • US-Australia Free Trade Agreement due to get underway in first half of 2003
  • Reminder about submissions to DFAT by 15 January 2003