Trans-Pacific Partnership

Secrecy of negotiations

The Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations have been widely criticised for their secrecy. Under the current process,  the details of the deal were kept secret until after the text was agreed, and Cabinet, not Parliament makes the decision to sign the agreement. Parliament does not get to vote on the whole text,  only on the implementing legislation.

For more information, see our explanation of the Australian process for trade agreements, and the Report of the Senate Inquiry into the trade agreement process, aptly called Blind Agreement.

Govt of El Salvador sued over protection of environment

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.

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