Free Trade Agreements

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yibbida

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I thought it was time to start a Free Trade Agreement thread.

Our current PM has the following philospohy

"I've always taken the view that you should take what you can get today and pitch for the rest tomorrow when you've got a strong foundation to build upon," he said.
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This site has a list of FTA's: http://www.dfat.gov.au/fta/

Australia has seven FTAs currently in force with New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, US, Chile, the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) (with New Zealand) and Malaysia. The countries covered by these FTAs account for 28 per cent of Australia's total trade.

Australia is currently engaged in eight FTA negotiations - four bilateral FTA negotiations: China, Japan, India and Indonesia; and four plurilateral FTA negotiations: the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP), the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the Pacific Trade and Economic Agreement (PACER Plus), and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP). Negotiations with Korea was concluded recently but has not yet entered into force.

The countries covered by these negotiations account for a further 45 per cent of Australia's trade.
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yibbida said:
There is no way in hell we should sign the TPP.
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Agreed.

On a related note, the ag sector, especially dairy farmers aren't happy with the new Japan/Aus FTA.

Benefits to the dairy industry was what the new agreement was sold on, but the gains are supposed to represent a measly couple of million over the next few years.

It is becoming more and more obvious that market access is the Trojan horse that these agreements are being marketed on. In nearly every case benefits have either fallen short, or turned out to be non existent with Australian industries suffering. However, the current round of agreements do set out the broad framework for the TPP and all the horror and mayhem that comes with it.

So "free trade agreement" is probably a misnomer. International agreement that subverts individual rights for corporate rights, is probably more accurate
 

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http://www.watoday.com.au/federal-p...-japan-trade-breakthrough-20140406-36741.html

Hopes of a last-minute breakthrough in stalled free-trade agreement talks between Japan and Australia hung on private talks between the two prime ministers on Sunday night.
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So after years of negotiations, we are going to let Abbott alone decide what is included?

Trade Minister Andrew Robb has extended talks with his Japanese counterparts, but sources say his insistence on getting serious concessions to reduce import tariffs and increase market quotas for Australian agricultural products so far has failed to reach a satisfactory bargain.

Mr Robb has repeatedly said he will not give the go-ahead to a substandard deal for Australian producers, but there is speculation among business leaders travelling with Mr Abbott that some extra ground has been given – particularly on Australian cheese.
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The deal, which would mean much cheaper Japanese cars in Australia and greater access to Japanese markets for beef, dairy and other agriculture, could be worth billions in extra wealth more to the Australian economy over the next two decades.
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South Korean car makers haven't dropped their prices despite the tariff being removed......

But here is the kicker:

But, if agreement is reached, fair trade advocates have warned Japanese companies would be able to sue Australian governments.

The so-called investor state dispute settlement clauses would give Japanese companies the right to take Australia to international tribunals over decisions they felt impinged on their interests, a right denied to Australian companies.

A settlement provision is being used by tobacco giant Philip Morris to challenge Australia's decision to require plain packaging of cigarettes. Shortly before losing its case in the High Court, Philip Morris incorporated a company in Hong Kong to take advantage of settlement provisions.
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The bold bits should be a deal breaker straight away.
 
"After seven years of negotiations we have a new free trade agreement with japan"

Hasnt the libs been running around saying the alp were a black hole for six years on trade negotiations ?

They didnt need to lie, why do pollies instinctively lie ? They truly are dregs
 
Pessimistic said:
"After seven years of negotiations we have a new free trade agreement with japan"

Hasnt the libs been running around saying the alp were a black hole for six years on trade negotiations ?

They didnt need to lie, why do pollies instinctively lie ? They truly are dregs
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The thing is it isn't even a Free Trade agreement, we have managed to get them to lower tariff's on beef by 10% over the next 20 years or something like that!
 
Curious timing....

Trade deal with Japan agreed to, and the Defense minister lets it be known that the plans to build 12 new subs are being reconsidered (to some degree a good thing, considering that by many reports 12 was a number Krudd pulled out of his ass)....With Japan just happening to be the only country that builds a conventional sub of the size/specs required.

That said, it's supposedly a pretty good boat, and at ~US$540M each (estimate for most recent Japanese boat), would be MUCH cheaper than the A$40B estimate for building 12 here...The Japs are building 10, ~1/year with the last to be launched late 2017...Just keep the production line going.

http://www.theage.com.au/federal-po...-collins-class-submarines-20140407-zqryi.html
 
There a good and bad FTA, the one with Japan I actually feel is a good one for Australia. We don't have any manifacturing industry left anyway so competing with Japan is not an issue. Giving our farmers better access to Japanese markets is of a big benefit to us though.

The other side of the equation is some previous ones were terrible, especially the one with the USA. Australia was absolutely rapped on that one.
 

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BUT...But...but…

Labor told us that Tony Abbott was an absolute clutz at foreign affairs. How could he possibly have spearheaded this historic agreement???
 
Pessimistic said:
"After seven years of negotiations we have a new free trade agreement with japan"

Hasnt the libs been running around saying the alp were a black hole for six years on trade negotiations ?

They didnt need to lie, why do pollies instinctively lie ? They truly are dregs
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Eight years actually. Howard started the ball rolling, Labor dropped the ball (Japan wanted nothing to do with Rudd after he insulted them, Gillard too claimed that China was a more important trading partner and ignored Japan, which is in their eyes a major insult)..... Abbott sealed the deal. Credit where its due
 
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Xsess said:
Eight years actually. Howard started the ball rolling, Labor dropped the ball, Abbott sealed the deal. Obvious is obvious
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Yeah like id really trust your extreme biased viewpoint

That the john howard whos party used to ridicule keating for his work on apec and asia right ?

Truth is its probably got more to do with the work of the public service than pollies
 
Shows value of a government concentrating on limited number of key policies rather than trying to do 100 things at once as Rudd/Gillard Labor did.

When Abbott and Robb announced they were going for three FTAs in 12 months I'm sure nobody thought they could pull it off. But there's two in the bag and by all accounts China will be joining the bandwagon next month.

And typically the Abbott isn't big noting, making it clear they are not the FTAs Australia would have had in an ideal world - but represent real progress and are there to be built on by future governments.

You are right about the public servants - but Robb is entitled to the lion's share, imo.
 
Xsess said:
BUT...But...but…

Labor told us that Tony Abbott was an absolute clutz at foreign affairs. How could he possibly have spearheaded this historic agreement???
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http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/na...h-asia-backwards/story-fni0xqrb-1226877768726

The Crown Chairman, who is accompanying Prime Minister Tony Abbott on his current trip to the region, has criticised the previous Labor government’s diplomacy skills.

“When you go around and lecture people, and I think you’d know who I’m talking about, some people don’t take it that well,” Mr Packer told 3AW Radio.

“Especially if you position yourself as a foreign policy expert,” he said, referring to Mr Rudd.

The businessman argued the current PM is working to forge a closer relationship with Asia.

“I think the truth is that Australia’s relationships with China, Japan, India and Indonesia probably all went backwards over the last five years.”
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Craig Emerson has congratulated Robb and said this was the best deal that could have been done at this point in time.
 
Fortress Australia ended when Keating floated the dollar. Unless you build a time machine that door is closed. For the first time in years - we now have a PM. Going from strength to strength
 
Xsess said:
Fortress Australia ended when Keating floated the dollar. Unless you build a time machine that door is closed. For the first time in years - we now have a PM. Going from strength to strength
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Yep we don't need tariffs to compete and we don't need tariffs to increase the cost of living.

Sure competition is high but we should be and are more confident than reverting to old school mind sets.
 
GuruJane said:
Shows value of a government concentrating on limited number of key policies rather than trying to do 100 things at once as Rudd/Gillard Labor did.

When Abbott and Robb announced they were going for three FTAs in 12 months I'm sure nobody thought they could pull it off. But there's two in the bag and by all accounts China will be joining the bandwagon next month.

And typically the Abbott isn't big noting, making it clear they are not the FTAs Australia would have had in an ideal world - but represent real progress and are there to be built on by future governments.

You are right about the public servants - but Robb is entitled to the lion's share, imo.
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2 trade agreements in 6 months of negotiations....

Give me an A
Give me a B
..

Obviously no one bothered to click the links in the OP.
 
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