FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS: TPP, the biggest Corporate power grab ever!
Currently the Liberal Government are involved in secret talks about the free trade agreement, the "Trans Pacific Partnership". We are not allowed to see it however 600 representatives from major corporations do get to see it and provide input to it.
Some of the things we know about it:
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It will enable companies to sue Australia.
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It will make medicines more expensive.
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It will weaken Environmental protections.
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Did you know Australia is being sued under a current Free Trade Agreement with Hong Kong by Philip Morris for plain package cigarettes?
LINKS for general information:
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Overview of the TPP Youtube video. Recommend having a listen to. (47 minutes. Short of time? Jump to 11 mins 49 seconds).
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http://www.wikileaksparty.org.au/why-australians-should-be-worried-about-the-tpp/
The 13 countries in the TPP are;
Australia, Brunei, Chile, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, Peru, Philippines, USA and Vietnam.
Countries Currently Being Sued
El Salvador:
Australian-based company OceanaGold is suing El Salvador for US$301 million for its “right” to continue operating a gold mine that is destroying the Central American nation's water supply.
The El Dorado goldmine was originally owned by Canadian company Pacific Rim, which became a wholly-owned subsidiary of OceanaGold last year. The Australian company is continuing Pacific Rim's lawsuit, suing the Salvadoran government over a moratorium on mining permits. (copied from https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/57675)
Australia and Uraguay:
Sued by Philip Morris over anti smoking laws via a Free Trade agreement with Hong Kong.
Germany:
Sued by Vattenfall, a Swedish energy company.
Canada:
Sued by US company Lone Pine Resources.
Canada:
Sued by Eli Lilly filed a lawsuit against Canada for $500 million dollars for passing policy that lets companies to make affordable versions of its medicines
Costa Rica:
Sued by Canadian mining giant Infinito Gold because they said no to an huge open pit mine, right in the heart of a pristine rainforest.
Egypt:
Veolia group, a French multinational, is suing the Egyptian government because of a rise in the monthly minimum wage. The company is using the ISDS provisions in an investment treaty between France and Egypt.
European union:
Sued by Bayer and Syngenta to over turn a ban on the pesticides that are killing the bees.
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