February 9, 2016: Australian Trade Minister Steve Ciobo is now pushing for a TPP without the US - or as he calls it, a ‘TPP minus one’.
This is despite the Senate inquiry saying no to the failed TPP’s implementing legislation, meaning the government cannot pass it.
February 8, 2016: AFTINET welcomes the report of the Senate inquiry in which Labor has said that the US withdrawal from the TPP means it will not happen and that the implementing legislation should be deferred. The Greens and the Nick Xenophon team have rejected the TPP.
February 6, 2017: Many prominent media commentators say the demise of the TPP is no loss for Australia, and reiterate the concerns of public health, environment, union and other community organisations. Instead of endorsing a failed agreement, the Australian Government should strive for better trade deals in the future.
6 February, 2017: Fifty-three diverse health, church, union, environment and aid organisations representing more than two million Australians have endorsed a letter calling on Labor to reject the failed TPP and ensure fairness in future trade deals, including the RCEP.
“Not only would it be futile to endorse an agreement that would never come into effect but it would also be damaging for future trade debate in Australia,” they write.
Media Release January 31, 2017: "The latest leaked Trade in Services documents confirm that the negotiations are driven by the interests of global services companies that want to maximise profitable trade in services and minimise government regulation in the public interest. Many of these are similar to proposals in the now-dead Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP),” Dr Patricia Ranald, Convener of the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network of community groups (AFTINET) said today. Read the full release here.
January 24, 2017: Dr Particia Ranald's oped in the Fairfax media argues for inclusive and progressive fair trade policies as an alternative to both fundamentalist 'free' trade and Trump and Hansen's knee-jerk nationalism and discrimination based on fear.
21 January 2017: Shortly after President Donald Trump’s inauguration today the new administration released a statement confirming the US withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
Including the TiSA and RCEP there are seven trade deals AFTINET will be monitoring this year.
PM Turnbull wants to push ahead with a vote on the failed TPP's implementing legislation in the Australian Parliament. Will you ask Labor's trade spokesperson to publicly commit to VOTE NO to the TPP? Read more.
Jan 17, 2017: Labor, The Greens and the Nick Xenophon team have all declared they won’t support the dead TPP. But Labor has said it will make a decision about the implementing legislation when and if the legislation is introduced to Parliament.