Who believes that any government has a mandate to sign treaties that take away the rights of Australians and their government? While both major parties have used international agreements to push their own agenda and bypass our rights in the past, this latest move by Tony Abbott is nothing short of insane.
The Abbott Coalition looks set to sign off on the highly secretive Trans-Pacific Partnership later this month. In fact this gross attempt of Neo Liberalism hands an insane amount of power to foreign corporations and will give companies the right to sue governments for damages should they implement policy that affects their profits? A good example of this would be that if this treaty was signed before plain packaging on cigarettes were introduced, the tobacco companies would have had every right to sue our government for their losses. Of course the taxpayer would be left to foot the bill.
This treaty will have major implications with mining including coal seam gas and could actually force fracking into communities. The TPP also undermines local legal systems and force decisions to be made by specialised investor/state tribunals held offshore.
Other implications could also include the enforcement of free trade agreements over local policy. This could mean that our food quarantine systems and health procedures can be challenged if they prevent the importation of food products from a signatory country. Watch out for the good wholesome food coming from China as local small farmers and economies are destroyed. If you need an example of this you only need look at Mexico and the destruction of its local corn production due to NAFTA.
So hands up all those who voted to give more power to foreign corporations? Who also agreed to allow more mining in populated areas as well as the importation of dangerous and genetically modified food?
The significant point to consider here is that the Labor Party is silent on this issue and also supports free trade. Is it Labor and the Coalition or is it Laboral as we march towards the handing over of more of our country to foreign powers and corporate rule?
Craig Hesketh
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.