Get Up has launched an excellent campaign (video above) urging Australians to oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) – the US-led trade deal between 12 Pacific Rim nations, including Australia. According to Get-Up:
The TPP agenda is being driven by big business, big pharmaceuticals and big tobacco – but the impacts will affect all Australians.
Between foreign corporations suing our governments over public health measures and environmental protection laws, higher pharmaceutical prices, and surveillance of Australians’ internet usage, there’s a lot for citizens to be concerned about – which is why Prime Minister Abbott and Trade Minister Robb are keeping it quiet.
What we do know from leaked parts of the agreement is terrifying. But most Australians haven’t even heard about the TPP. That’s why we need to sound the alarm now, and sound it loudly.
Can you sign the petition calling on our politicians not to sign our rights away and share the video with everyone you know?
Before those on the right (I’m looking at you, Judith Sloan!) denigrates Get Up’s campaign as another case of “leftist scaremongering”, they may first want to consider Liberal Senator, Bill Heffernan’s, warnings on the TPP, expressed on Friday:
“Politicians and governments need to have enough self-confidence to be able to have a contest of ideas, rather than doing something in secret and dropping it on the table,” he told Fairfax Media.
“I’m concerned about unintended consequences. I’m worried about how much will be fait accompli”…
Mr Heffernan said most concerning was the Investor State Dispute Settlement clause, which empowers multinationals to sue governments if new laws such as food safety standards harm their profits.
“I want to be asking these detailed questions, about the capacity for corporations to sue governments”…
…[Heffernan] wants to see the TPP released to the public so that it can be tested by people with “dirt under their fingernails”. He said: “It ought to pass the paddock test.”
“The average person here in Parliament hasn’t got their head around a range of things. If you don’t know what’s on the table, how do you know what questions to ask?”
It’s worth pointing out that US Congressmen have received access to the draft TPP, as have the Malaysian parliament, whereas Australia’s parliamentarians have been kept completely in the dark.
If the TPP is going to be such a great deal, as claimed by Trade Minister Andrew Robb, then why is the Government denying interested parties access?
