2016-04-08
The Australian Greens' trade spokesperson, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, today called on the Labor Party to commit to opposing the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) in the wake of Bill Shorten's comments about Arrium Steel.
Bill Shorten said yesterday that he would require all levels of government to buy local steel, and asked the rhetorical question, "What's wrong with requiring Australian content in the steel?"
Senator Whish-Wilson responded by saying, "Bill Shorten's promise to demand Australian governments buy Australian steel is hollow unless he commits Labor to vote against the TPP.
"The TPP will prevent federal and state governments from having meaningful buy-local policies.
"A breach of the TPP would lead to severe penalties, including by the use of Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions which allow big corporations to sue our governments and their taxpayers.
"The TPP has been signed and cannot be amended. Bill Shorten and Labor Party must make it clear how they will vote when the TPP comes before parliament. If they vote for the TPP then by their own account they are voting for a Whyalla wipe-out.
"The Greens have long campaigned against trade deals like the TPP because they are negotiated in secret, driven by the interests of big foreign corporations and tie the government's hands when it comes to legislating in the national or public interest.
"Governments can and must play a role in protecting Australian jobs, skills and industry. Supporting dodgy trade deals is not the way to do that," he concluded.