Last week the Australian Senate called on the Australian Government to request that the Productivity Commission undertake a comprehensive socio-economic cost-benefit inquiry into the impact of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement on Australia.  See Senator Whish-Wilson's motion below which was passed by the Senate.

Senator Whish-Wilson amended general business notice of motion no. 695 by leave and, pursuant to notice of motion not objected to as a formal motion, moved - That the Senate-

    (a)   notes that the Malaysian Government:

The Greens spokesperson for Trade, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, today questioned Treasury officials about the so-called economic benefits of the Abbott Government’s trade deals. Treasury officials revealed that that have done no modelling on the economic benefits of these deals to include in GDP forecasts.

The Greens’ spokesperson for Trade, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, says the Abbott Government’s radical free trade agenda risks impacting on day-to-day domestic policy issues including our ability to respond such crises as the frozen berry contamination scare of this week.

With Andrew Robb today trumpeting the start date for the Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement (JAEPA) the Greens spokesperson for Trade, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson highlights the multi-billion dollar impacts the Government’s trade agenda has had on the Federal budget.

The Greens will act in the first week of the Abbott parliament to end the secrecy around the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) trade talks.
 

Wednesday, October 31 2012

Greens Call for Triple Bottom Line Approach to Free Trade Agreements.