AFTINET have declared the TPP dead with Trump dealing the final blow, some of their comments follow:

Here in Australia, thousands of people mobilised against the unfair deal, participating in online actions, attending rallies,  public meetings, and influencing politicians. Citizens in almost every TPP country did the same and there was a huge groundswell of opposition to the deal worldwide.

We will continue to advocate for fair trade based on the principles of human rights, labour rights and environmental sustainability, and which does not undermine the ability of governments to regulate in the public interest.

Press Release, external link, TPP death result of six years of community campaigns

Unfortunately similar risks crop up in draft corporate driven agreements and recent governments have accepted problematic clauses in other agreements

An evening of delicious Greek food, entertaining speakers and great company at the annual fundraising dinner.

All proceeds will support AFTINET’s trade justice campaigns on the TPP and other trade deals.

Special guest Speaker:

Public Forum – Will the TPP survive the Australian and US elections?

12.30-2pm Wed April 20
Macquarie Room,
NSW Parliament House
Macquarie Street, Sydney

Speakers include:

Dr Patricia Ranald, AFTINET: The TPP and the Australian Election

US Public Citizen: TPP, Presidential Race and US Congress (by video)

Dr Jim Stanford, McMaster University, Canada:  Jobs and Workers’ Rights

Jon Edwards, Doctors without Borders (MSF): Medicines

Sarah Agar, CHOICE: Food Labelling and Product Standards

Limited places – please RSVP by April 19 to campaign@aftinet.org.au

The TPP trade deal between Australia, the US and 10 other Pacific Rim countries is being reviewed by a Parliamentary committee before Parliament votes on the implementing legislation. But the early recall of Parliament and possible election on July 2 will interrupt this process.

Community organisations representing over two million Australians, and over 300,000 individuals have urged MPs to vote against the TPP because it increases corporate rights at the expense of peoples’ rights.

Public opposition in the US is so strong that all presidential candidates are opposed, and it will not even be considered by the US Congress until after the November election.

This forum will discuss the TPP in the context of the Australian and US elections, and why Australian politicians should not rush to endorse the TPP legislation.

United Nations human rights expert Alfred de Zayas called on Governments not to sign the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) ….

“The TPP is fundamentally flawed and should not be signed or ratified unless provision is made to guarantee the regulatory space of States,”….

“Trade agreements are not ‘stand-alone’ legal regimes, but must conform with fundamental principles of international law, including transparency and accountability,” Mr. de Zayas stressed….

In his statement, the Independent Expert expressed concern that, despite “enormous opposition by civil society worldwide, twelve countries are about to sign an agreement, which is the product of secret negotiations without multi-stakeholder democratic consultation.”

“The options are not to sign the TPP as it stands, as civil society demands, or not to ratify it, which is the responsibility of democratically elected parliaments,” the expert noted. “Should the TPP ever enter into force, its compatibility with international law should be challenged before the International Court of Justice”.

“If a public referendum were held in all twelve countries concerned, it will be solidly rejected,” Mr. de Zayas stated.

Mr de Zayas  is specifically concerned about the impact on human rights and his full text can be accessed via a UN web site here, external link http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=17006

• President Obama decided to not approve the keystone XL pipeline.
• TransCanada argues that it “had every reason to expect that its application [for the pipeline] would be granted.”
• Hence, TransCanada intends to sue the US for $15 billion compensation through a secret ISDS tribunal.

The article below portrays risks to the environment BUT the same risks apply to government decisions relating to health and other areas when large corprations are given new powers under ISDS provisions.

Full article, external link The Corporation Behind Keystone XL Just Laid Bare the TPP’s Threats to Our Climate

In 2011 Phillip Morris challenged Australia’s plain paper tobacco packaging using ISDS provisions in a Hong Kong trade treaty.

Australia has won, it seems, because they successfully argued that Phillip Morris was “treaty shopping”

However, the dismissal of the case on procedural grounds means that we will never get a ruling on the substance of Philip Morris’ claims. …..

What this means is that any country that is contemplating plain packaging – France has just joined the list of countries pursuing the policy – still has cause for concern. This is especially the case because tobacco companies don’t show any sign of giving up their legal campaign.

In this regard, poor countries are in the worst position because they can’t afford even a preliminary defence in an ISDS case….

(The Australian taxpayer avoidede further costs but also lost because the case, even though it was in the initial phase, has already cost the government $50 million.)

The Sierra Club Reports:

Beyond making no effort to combat climate disruption, the TPP would actually fuel the climate crisis. If approved, the pact would increase greenhouse gas emissions and undermine efforts to transition to clean energy. The TPP’s biggest threats to our climate are as follows:

• 1. THE TPP WOULD EMPOWER FOSSIL FUEL CORPORATIONS TO ATTACK CLIMATE POLICIES IN PRIVATE TRIBUNALS
• 2. THE TPP WOULD LOCK IN DIRTY FOSSIL FUEL PRODUCTION BY EXPEDITING NATURAL GAS EXPORTS.
• 3. THE TPP WOULD INCREASE CLIMATE-DISRUPTING EMISSIONS BY SHIFTING U.S. >MANUFACTURING OVERSEAS
• 4. THE TPP WOULD IMPOSE NEW LIMITS ON GOVERNMENT EFFORTS TO COMBAT CLIMATE DISRUPTION.

Ben Norton writes in Salon:

Overall, the global deal will “allow TPP countries to violate critical environmental commitments to boost trade or investment,” the Sierra Club report notes.

“Government officials charged with promoting the TPP .. claiming …that the pact’s environment chapter would ‘preserve the environment,’” the environmental organization writes. “However, the chapter includes no provision that would protect climate and environmental policies from the myriad threats posed by other parts of the TPP.”

The US Sierra Club claims “the nation’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization — with more than two million members and supporters.”