Media Releases

Hockey lobbying of US Congress shows TPP flaws

May 25, 2016: “Reports of Australian Ambassador Joe Hockey’s desperate attempts to lobby the U.S. Congress to support the TPP beg the question of why the Australian government should be supporting it,” Dr Patricia Ranald, Convener of the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network said today.“US bipartisan opposition to the TPP is now so strong that the US is now getting other governments to lobby its own Congress. There is something wrong with this picture.”

US TPP economic report will increase US opposition

May 19, 2016: "The official U.S. International Trade Commission report released today on the impact of the  TPP on the US economy has predicted a tiny GDP increase of only 0.15 percent after 15 years. This will increase the strong US bipartisan Congressional opposition to the TPP and make it even less likely that the implementing legislation will be considered by Congress before the US election in November,"  Dr Patricia Ranald, AFTINET Convener said today.

US seeks more in TPP on medicine monopolies at APEC meeting

Media Release, 16 May 2016: “The US government is making a desperate attempt to placate domestic US corporate and Republican opposition to the TPP implementing legislation by demanding stronger monopolies for pharmaceutical companies and other concessions at a meeting of TPP ministers to be held this week on the sidelines of the APEC Trade Ministers meeting in Peru,” Dr Patricia Ranald, Convener of the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network said today.

Download the full media release here

 

Experts say RCEP deal means higher medicine prices & more corporate power

MEDIA RELEASE, April 27 2016: Expert speakers will today discuss who benefits from two giant Asia-Pacific trade deals at a Public Forum to be held at 6 PM, SSTU WA, 3rd floor, 150 to 152 Adelaide Terrace East Perth.

Negotiators are meeting behind closed doors in Perth this week to discuss the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) between the 10 ASEAN countries plus Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, India and South Korea.

Read the full media release here

Stop rush to finish India and Pacific Island trade deals before elections

MEDIA RELEASE, April 14 2016: “Trade Envoy Andrew Robb’s stated intention to complete secret negotiations on the India FTA in the next six weeks could violate the Caretaker Convention which states that governments should not finalise trade deals in the election period,” AFTINET Convener Dr Patricia Ranald said today. 

Read the full media release here

TPP: Record numbers of submissions show opposition to more rights for global corporations

April 6, 2016 Media Release: “The Joint Standing Committee on Treaties Inquiry into the Trans-Pacific trade deal received a record number of 175 substantial submissions, most of which are critical of the ways in which the TPP gives additional monopoly rights to global pharmaceutical corporations and permits all foreign corporations to sue governments over changes in domestic legislation,” AFTINET Convener Dr Patricia Ranald said today. 

Robb promises US longer TPP monopolies on biologic drugs

Media Release February 25, 2016: "Trade envoy Andrew Robb has reassured US pharmaceutical companies that the TPP will provide at least eight years of market protection for expensive biologic drugs, and potentially as long as 12 to 17 years in Australia’s case. Mr Robb is telling one story in the US and another story in Australia,” Dr Patricia Ranald, Convenor of the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network said today.

Minister Robb shoots the messenger, refuses independent TPP assessment

MEDIA RELEASE, February 4, 2016: Trade Minister Robb today rejected calls from 59 community organisations representing over two million Australians for an independent assessment by the Productivity Commission on ABC national radio this morning. He claimed  that the broad alliance of public health, church, environment, aid and development and union organisations were just ‘the usual suspects opposed to all trade agreements’.

ALP, Greens and independents co-host TPP forum amid strong community opposition

Media Release, February 3, 2016:

Fifty-nine community organisations representing more than two million Australians from all walks of life have endorsed a letter to parliamentarians asking for an independent review of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and its impact on Australians before Parliament votes on the TPP implementing legislation. 

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