In The News
Productivity Commission Report:
Get writing - submissions close on 10th September:
As reported in the August bulletin the Productivity Commission (PC) released its draft report on “Bilateral and Regional Trade Agreements”. The deadline for comments is 10th September 2010, after which the PC will produce a final report.
For a copy of the draft report and information about making further comment please see the PC website: http://www.pc.gov.au/projects/study/trade-agreements/draft.
In AFTINET’s August 2010 bulletin we summarised the findings and informed members of problems and concerns in relation to the PC’s draft report, as well as some positive indications it contained. Follow this link to the Bulletins archive to read it: http://aftinet.org.au/cms/bulletins.
AFTINET has now completed its response to the draft report. We have placed this on the AFTINET website to aid members who wish to lodge their own submission with the Productivity Commission. The second AFTINET submission, as well as our original submission, are available by following this link: www.aftinet.org.au/cms/submissions.
Members are encouraged to make submissions and reinforce the call for a fair trade agenda to replace the neo-liberal free trade approach.
Invitation to a Night with Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas).
Gordon Gekko is out of jail, allowing Michael Douglas to return to Wall Street, and he is back with a simple message:
“I once said greed is good... but now it seems it’s legal.”
AFTINET invites you to a film night fundraiser featuring Wall Street 2 – Money Never Sleeps.
As the global economy teeters on the brink of the GFC disaster, a young Wall Street trader hooks up with disgraced former Wall Street corporate raider Gordon Gekko.
It’s an age that makes even Gekko blush. Upon his release from jail he seeks to make a buck not from the markets but from royalties from his new book, a condemnation of the greed he formerly endorsed. Gekko’s only priority, it seems, is to reconnect with the daughter he abandoned, the young trader’s fiancée, Winnie. He is on a mission to alert the financial community to the coming doom and to find out who was responsible for the death of the young trader's mentor.
The movie examines the role played by fictionalised versions of Bear-Sterns, Lehman Brothers, JP Morgan, the real estate industry and others in the GFC.
- Date: Monday, 27th September 2010.
- Time: 6:30pm start to movie.
- Venue: Dendy Opera Quays - Shop 9, 2 East Circular Quay, Sydney NSW 2000 (on the promenade leading towards the Sydney Opera House from Circular Quay).
- Cost: $20 per ticket.
Also appearing in the movie are:
Josh Brolin plays Bretton James, the villain of the movie.
Shia LaBeouf is Jake Moore, the young hotshot, who teams with Gekko.
Carey Mulligan portrays Winnie Gekko, Gordon’s estranged daughter.
Frank Langella will play Lewis Zabel, Jacob's mentor who commits suicide.
Susan Sarandon portrays Sylvia Moore, Jacob's real-estate agent mother.
Charlie Sheen will reprise his role as Bud Fox in a cameo appearance.
And we get to give the raspberry to Donald Trump, when he appears.
Follow this link to download the invitation and order form.
TPPA Campaign: Don’t trade away health, labour, cultural and environmental policies
More than thirty Australian unions and community groups have asked the Trade Minister to safeguard the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, Australian local content in media, regulation of GE food, regulation of foreign investment and industry policies that support local employment in the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) negotiations which started on Monday March 15 in Melbourne. A second round of negotiations was held in the US starting on June 14.The next round of negotiations will be held in Brunei in November.A special intercessional meeting will be held in Peru during September.
New Community Education Leaflet
On Wednesday 16th June 2010, in the Jubilee Room of NSW Parliament House, AFTINET held a successful public meeting to launch our new publication, a community education leaflet about the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) called:
“Resurrecting the US Free Trade Agreement: what US business wants from the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement and what we can do about it”.
An electronic copy of the leaflet is available for download by following this link.
AFTINET is able to supply bulk copies of the leaflet but will need you to cover the postage costs. If you wish to order bulk copies please download an order form by following this link or call AFTINET on 02 9212 7242.
Our speakers at the launch were Dr Kyla Tienhaara on Investor-State Dispute processes, Dr Con Costa on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and Public Health, Laura Kelly on GE Labeling and Paul Bastian on Workers Rights. Transcripts/papers were possible will be available as soon as possible from the AFTINET website.
Our Campaign has gained some media attention: follow this link to read them
Follow this link to the joint statement page.
We are campaigning to prevent these health, cultural and environmental policies from being traded away.
Get Involved and Stay in Touch – check back regularly and follow the link below to find out more about the campaign and what actions you can take.
Follow this link to our TPPA Campaign PageBy following this link you can now Send an Email to Stephen Smith
To Download the Joint Statement select this link and the Media Release follow this link
NEW WEBSITE: New Zealand TPPA Monitoring Site:
Our New Zealand friends have launched a new website to monitor and report on the TPPA it is called The Trans-Pacific Partnership Digest and the website address is: http://tppdigest.org/
PACER-Plus - Call to Suspend Talks
Pacific civil society has called for the PACER-Plus talks to be
suspended pending promised national consultations being undertaken;
funding and adequate staffing for the office of the Chief Trade Advisor;
an easing of the impacts and an evaluation of the of the global
financial crisis; alternative trade options are examined; there is a
guarantee to exclude comprehensive services and investment chapters;
there is a delinking of the labour mobility program; adequate funding
and training is provided for capacity building of local trade officials
and key stakeholders; a human rights and gender analysis is undertaken
and there is active involvement from civil society as promised by the
leaders. Follow this link for a copyof the Pacific Statement.
AFTINET, along with many civil society organisations in Australia and
New Zealand have supported this call from the Pacific to suspend the
talks. Follow this link for a copy of the statement.
Follow this link to our PACER-Plus Campaign page.
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:
