49 community organisations ask Labor politicians to oppose TPP-11 implementing legislation
August 3, 2018: 49 community organisations have written to ALP parliamentarians asking them to vote against the TPP-11 implementing legislation.
The letter explains that, following the US withdrawal from the original Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP-12), a rebadged version of the agreement has emerged, known as the TPP-11. The TPP-11 suspends, but does not delete, some of the worst clauses on longer monopolies on biologic medicines, but these could be resurrected if the US returns to the agreement. The TPP-11 still contains the following provisions, all of which contradict Labor’s Trade Policy Platform:
- special legal rights for foreign investors to bypass national courts and sue governments in unfair international tribunals if they could argue that a change in law or policy harmed their investment, known as Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS).
- Restrictions on the ability of future governments to regulate essential services and to restore regulation in the event of the failure of deregulation or privatisation.
- Increases in the numbers of vulnerable temporary migrant workers from TPP countries without first testing if local workers were available.
- Lack of enforceable labour rights and environmental standards. The chapters on labour and environment were weak and not legally enforceable in the same way as other chapters in the agreement.
The letter asks Labor MPs to vote against the TPP-11 implementing legislation when it comes before the parliament in the coming months.