Free Trade Agreement starts to smell
Crikey.com.au reports on a few articles by key people that criticise the usefulness of the FTA to Australia. Here are some links:
- No free trade in so-called free trade agreement (Sydney Morning Herald)
- Why Latham should reject the FTA (Age)
Of course, the US are happy and proud of the agreement, especially gaining access to our pharmaceutical markets, with a yet-to-be-disclosed mechanism allowing US drug companies to appeal about our Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
And why is this the first free trade agreement the US has completed with any industrialised nation. Is it because we are the only one stupid enough so far?
At best, the benefits are doubtful. At worst, it will cost us a lot.
It is not too late yet, but we will all regret it if this agree The ALP can still block the enabling legislation for the FTA in the Senate, but they need to Visit nofta.org to send a letter to Mark Latham asking the ALP to not pass the legislation.
Didn’t Canada sign a Free Trade Agreement with the USA in 1988? Here is a site with articles from the day discussing it. Sounds a lot like what we are doing now. http://archives.cbc.ca/IDD-1-73-536/politics_economy/free_trade/