Julia Gillard describes in The Guardian how tobacco companies are using trade agreements to undermine tobacco regulation and why investor rights to sue governments should not be included in the TPP and other trade agreements.
Dr Deborah Gleeson reports on secrecy and health during the latest Trans-Pacific Partnerhip (TPP) negotiations in Singapore in The Conversation.
16/12/2013
AFTINET's Dr Patricia Ranald interviewed on ABC radio program Pacific Beat: 'TPP only of benefit for big business'
16/12/2013
The Australia Institute has issued a media release titled Aussies in the dark about risky TPP trade deal, following their recent study on Australian's knowledge and attitudes towards the TPP. The study found most Australians were not even aware that the deal was being negotiated.
14/12/2013
Australia has been accused of failing to defend its historic plain packaging tobacco legislation, with one report from Singapore talks describing Australia as a ‘‘constant stumbling block’’ to other nations attempting to secure the right to follow suit, reports Peter Martin in the Sydney Morning Herald.
13/12/2013
An Australian-based mining company is taking over a mine in El Salvador, blocked by their government for environmental reasons. But the miners have legal power on their side, writes Jemma Williams in the New Matilda
The mining company, recently aquired by Australia-based OceanaGold, is suing the government of El Salvador for almost half of the national schools budget in an international tribunal.
By Peter Murphy
Farmer, trade union, women and other civil society organisations who were focused on trade justice at the Bali World Trade Organisation Ministerial were disappointed in the ‘package’ that was adopted, while the WTO itself was elated.
At the extended close on December 7, 2013, Director-General Roberto Azevado declared it was the most significant decision since 1995. He even said, “For the first time in our history: the WTO has truly delivered!” But the outcome was a squib.
ABC breakfast radio reports that Australia, New Zealand and Canada have caved in to US pressure on patents and medicines as part of negotiations for the Trans Pacific Partnership talks in Singapore, and the US has reportedly prevailed in its demands for longer and stronger patent laws on generic medicines.
The Sydney Morning Herald’s economics editor, Ross Gittins, publishes some strong criticisms of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement in an article titled ‘Trans-Pacific Partnership with US should hold fears’
11/12/2013