2016-08-30
South Australian Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has said that she will focus on reigning in and scrutinising so called 'free' trade deals, such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership, in her new role as the party's spokesperson on Trade.
"I want to make sure that these deals, which seem to only help big business, are given the maximum possible scrutiny by the Federal Parliament," the Greens' Trade spokesperson, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
"In my first days in this portfolio I have received multiple briefings from economists and trade experts and I have been shocked to hear about our nation's ballooning trade deficit.
"This country has been sleep walking into a multi-billion dollar trade black hole under successive governments and it's time something was done about it.
"I will work with my colleagues in the Senate, across party lines, to establish a Senate inquiry that will lift the lid on these secretive trade deals.
"Just like the offshore detention camps, the government only gets away with these trade deals that harm Australian jobs and consumers by doing them in secret, behind closed doors. The way these deals are done is anti-democratic and needs to be reformed.
"Increasing imports and sending jobs overseas may help the big end of town but it leaves many regular Australians high and dry without work.
"It seems these so called 'free' trade deals actually come at a very high cost and they should be rigorously scrutinised, starting with the Trans-Pacific Partnership."
Media Contact: Noah Schultz-Byard 0427 604 760