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Australia

Australian biotech industry sounds warning bells on FTA amendments
27-Sep-2004
Australia’s Biotechnology Industry Organisation representing over 2,000 Members, is deeply concerned at the potential unintended consequences and the uncertainty created by the proposed FTA amendments.
Entertainment Industry Coalition For Free Trade Hails U.S. - Australia Free Trade Agreement
22-Sep-2004 Entertainment Industry Coalition for Free Trade
The Entertainment Industry Coalition for Free Trade (EIC), a group of leading entertainment companies, trade associations and entertainment unions and guilds, today applauded the conclusion of the U.S. - Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
Australian Bilateral Agreements and Higher Education
16-Sep-2004 NTEU
Australia is a party to a number of bilateral agreements with developing countries in the East Asian-South Pacific region. The agreements fall into two categories: comprehensive bilateral free trade agreements (BFTAs) and bilateral investment agreements (BIAs). Both types of agreements have implications for higher education, though only BFATs expressly deal with education services.
USCSI: US-Australia FTA to Open New Opportunities for US Service Sector
14-Sep-2004 US Coalition of Service Industries
The Coalition of Service Industries (CSI) today announced its strong support for the US-Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA), noting that the agreement will open up new opportunities for US suppliers in a host of service industries.
Fear grows as FTA looms
9-Sep-2004
Canberra seems certain to press ahead with negotiations for a free trade agreement with China, possibly within a year, despite growing concerns from manufacturers.
Asean, Australia, New Zealand seek trade deal by 2007
7-Sep-2004
Southeast Asian nations, Australia and New Zealand hope to conclude a free trade agreement (FTA) by 2007 after beginning formal negotiations next year, government ministers said on Sunday.
Australia, New Zealand, ASEAN agree to FTA talks next year
6-Sep-2004 Channel News Asia
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Australia and New Zealand agreed on Sunday to launch negotiations on a free trade agreement next year, Australia’s Trade Minister Mark Vaile said.
Megawati urges SE Asia to embrace FTA
3-Sep-2004
Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri has urged ASEAN to move ahead in forging free-trade agreements with non-members, including Australia.
Open source joins electioneering
1-Sep-2004
Within 24 hours of a federal election being called, Communications and IT minister Helen Coonan has swapped her contentious campaign to offshore government IT services for a warm and fuzzy embrace of home-grown open source software to woo the penguin vote.
FTA leaves us second among equals
1-Sep-2004 Australian IT
Access to the US market will be valuable, but Aussie consumers will lose, not gain, from the copyright provisions.
Bullying big pharma puts pressure on Australians
28-Aug-2004
US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick’s warning to Australia that an amended free-trade agreement might conflict with the letter and spirit of the original agreement was prompted by bullying from the American pharmaceuticals industry, according to a US trade adviser.
Now I know my F-T-A-s
24-Aug-2004 Now I know my F-T-A-s
The Free Trade Agreement between Australia and the United States - AUSFTA - may be all the rage for us, but for Americans (that is, those citizens residing in the American hemisphere as a whole, not just the USA) they have been getting used to all sorts of free trade agreements.
End Days to Cheap Drugs With U.S. Trade Deal
19-Aug-2004
Australia’s ratification of a free trade agreement with the United States has sparked warnings that it represents a major win for the U.S. drug industry in blocking generic manufacturers and undermining the country’s internationally acclaimed system for lowering pharmaceutical prices.
Why We Want an FTA with China (Australia)
17-Aug-2004
Last week in Sydney, a valuable conference co-sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade revealed one Government priority that is hardly its best-kept secret. Now that the US free trade agreement has been pocketed, the Government is determined to negotiate a free trade agreement with China, and will pay what it takes to get it.
Sino FTA raise job loss concerns: Downer
13-Aug-2004
A free trade deal between Australia and China would generate controversy because of its possible impact on Australian manufacturers, Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer said.
USTR statement on Australia’s amendments
13-Aug-2004 Statement from USTR Spokesman Richard Mills Regarding Australian implementing legislation and amendments related to the FTA
We understand that the FTA implementing legislation and amendments pose important issues in Australia, just as they did in the United States.
Senate passes FTA deal amid US warning
13-Aug-2004 Senate passes FTA deal amid US warning
The Coalition and Labor combined to pass the legislation after two weeks of debate in Senate, but the deal could still come unstuck if the US decides Australia’s supporting legislation including Labor’s amendments are not consistent with the agreement.
Selling off a slice of our country
12-Aug-2004 Selling off a slice of our country
The funny thing about the free trade agreement with the United States is that Australians and Americans see it as being about completely different things. Australia’s businesspeople see it as about eliminating the barriers to exports and imports between the two countries, which they regard as a good thing.
Australian Linux bodies blast US free-trade deal
11-Aug-2004 Australian Linux bodies blast US free-trade deal
Australia’s national open source industry body, OSIA (Open Source Industry Australia), and Linux Australia have spoken out about their concerns over the proposed Australian-US Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA), warning that the legal framework of the intellectual property clauses will put the entire Australian software development industry at risk.
FTA set to increase medicine prices
11-Aug-2004 FTA set to increase medicine prices
Kerryn Williams spoke to David Henry, clinical pharmacology professor at Newcastle University and former Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee member, about how the proposed US-Australia Free Trade Agreement will undermine the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, and increase the price of medicine.