2017-01-23
Future trade deals need to hold every day Australians at their centre, not just corporations, Australian Greens Trade spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said today, following reports of Trade Minister Steven Ciobo trying to revive the dodgy Trans Pacific Partnership.
“Trade deals need people, not corporations, at their core. The mark was missed with the TPP and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership when corporations took the wheel and left Australians in the dust,” Senator Hanson-Young said.
“When you’ve got dangerous clauses underpinning trade deals that allow corporations to sue governments acting in the interests of their community, there’s no wonder Australians lose faith in the government’s ability to negotiate better trade outcomes.
“The way trade deals are negotiated needs to change. By opening the doors and expelling corporations from the negotiation table, we can start to make positive changes to how trade deals are formed. Bringing archaic trade negotiations into the 21st century and into the light is the first step in restoring the faith of everyday Australians.
“It is baffling that salvaging the TPP is still being discussed. For Malcolm Turnbull to prioritise lobbying Donald Trump over the TPP rather than the new President’s dangerous climate change policies, just shows how out of touch our Prime Minister really is.
“The Turnbull Government must immediately give up on its plans of ratifying this lame duck deal and get on with reforming the treaty negotiation process, so Australians can have confidence these deals are being done in their interests.”
Media contact: Amy Moran 0427 604 760
Media Release Finance and Trade