About AFTINET

AFTINET is a national network of community organisations and many individuals concerned about trade and investment policy. We support fair trade based on human rights, labour rights and environmental sustainability. See our principles here. [1]

AFTINET grew out of the successful campaign by community organisations against the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI), which had attempted to restrict the ability of governments to regulate both investment and key areas of social policy.

The collapse of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Doha round of trade negotiations at the end of 2011 showed that the world trading system is failing to meet the needs of developing countries for fairer trade rules which do not erode social policies.

Community organisations have continued the debate about international trade agreements and have demanded greater accountability by the Australian government for its role in the WTO and in bilateral and regional trade agreements like the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement, the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) [2]and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Parthership (RCEP). [3]

AFTINET supplies education materials, regular bulletins and speakers at public events. We make submissions to government and opposition parties to change Australian trade policy. We form links with similar organisations in other countries to argue for different and fairer rules for international trade and investment. We also:

monitor trade and investment negotiation processes;
establish contacts with similar international networks;
exchange information and basic educational material on trade issues;
raise community awareness and debate through public events and activities and
seek to change trade and investment policy based on these principles

You can read about our achievements here [4] and about current campaigns.here [5].

AFTINET does not sell fair-traded products. But you can find information about companies that do sell them on our links [6] page.

You can become an individual or organisational member/supporter of AFTINET. Members have voting rights and are bound by the constitution. To become a member or supporter of AFTINET click here [7].

AFTINET structures and constitution

The AFTINET constitution provides a basic democratic structure for the organisation. Members elect a working group which administers the organisation. The working group keeps membership and financial records and reports to annual general meetings of members. AFTINET is registered under Commonwealth legislation as a non-profit company limited by guarantee to limit the financial liability of members to their membership fee.

Organisations and individuals who do not wish to become members can become subscribers. This means they receive all other benefits of membership but cannot vote at meetings and are not bound by the constitution.

A copy of the constitution is available from campaign@aftinet.org.au [8].