Little scrutiny for trade agreement

What is the proposed US-Australia Free Trade Agreement all about?

The Australian Free Trade and Investment Network (AFTINET) organisation, based in Sydney, could explain that to residents of the Peninsula by providing a guest speaker at community functions.

AFTINET has the support of over 50 member organisations.

While AFTINET rejects a "fortress Australia" protectionist strategy, it believes that trade and investment policy should be based on local conditions and fair regulatory standards.

It should also be decided through democratically accountable processes.

AFTINET has monitored international trade agreements and conferences for several years now, since 1994 when the Keating ALP Government signed the General Agreement on Trade and Services (GATS).

Since then the MAI campaign and several key meetings by WTO have resulted in growing protests about the objectives of these bodies.

As a result the emphasis has shifted towards bi-lateral agreements.

The latest developments concern the proposed bi-lateral Free Trade Agreement between Australia and the United States.

Little information has been provided by the government to the general public about these proposals.

Such a potentially far reaching treaty could be concluded without much scrutiny by the public.

A Senate Inquiry is being held at present but the Parliament need not approve such a treaty for it to be concluded.

It is the government's prerogative to negotiate, sign and implement the treaty.

Klaas Woldring, Pearl Beach