23rd Nov 2011 – Senate Motions — Trans-Pacific Partnership

The Senate voted against a motion (see the debate) by Christine Milne:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

• (i) the announcement by the Prime Minister (Ms Gillard) of Australia's in principle agreement to the Trans Pacific Partnership free trade agreement,
• (ii) the Productivity Commission report noting the failure of free trade agreements to live up to the benefits claimed by successive governments,
• (iii) the Government's failure to release for public scrutiny the draft text of the agreement under negotiation,
• (iv) calls by 25 community groups ranging from pensioner groups to the Australian Council of Trade Unions to have the draft text released,
• (v) the bids by American pharmaceutical companies to use the agreement to delay the release of generic drugs and to undermine the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme,
• (vi) the failure of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to identify significant benefits to Australian primary producers,
• (vii) the reported failure of the agreement to include minimum standards for labour or environmental protection,
• (viii) the concern about reported changed rules for local content in Australian film and television, and
• (ix) the reported proposed changes to government procurement rules and reported inclusion of an investor state dispute process; and

(b) calls on the Government to immediately release the draft text of the Trans Pacific Partnership free trade agreement.

There were more motions to provide more parliamentary and public scrutiny of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations:

• 29th Oct 2014 – Senate, Motions - Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement - Give members of Parliament access to the draft text
• 11th Feb 2015, 3:50 PM – Senate, Motions — Request for more transparency in Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.