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Australia

PM asked to facilitate out of court resolution
26-Nov-2012
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources (MoPNR) has written a letter to Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf to persuade the Balochistan government to settle the Reko Diq issue out of court, fearing a penalty of Rs39 billion by the International Centre for Settlement Investment Disputes (ICSID).
Push for huge free trade agreement by 2015
21-Nov-2012
A new giant Asian free trade negotiation was launched last night at the end of the East Asia Summit in Cambodia, with a goal to complete the deal by the end of 2015.
Japanese poll delays FTA
15-Nov-2012
Australia’s hopes of quickly clinching a free-trade agreement with Japan, its second biggest trading partner, have been dashed by a decision by Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda to call a general election for December 16.
Why Australia walked away from investor state rights in trade deals - And why Canada should too
15-Nov-2012 Troy Media
Much of the debate surrounding the Canada-China trade deal revolves around the dispute settlement clause in the deal. Troy Media contacted Professor Thomas Faunce of the Australian National University in Canberra to explain why the Australian government decided to discontinue the practise of seeking inclusion of investor state dispute settlement provisions in trade agreements with developing countries.
Govt delay in Australia-Korea FTA jeopardises $770m beef export market
12-Nov-2012 Beef Central
Australia’s share of the Korean export beef market could be slashed by half over the next 15 years, unless a Free Trade Agreement can be expediently established between the two countries, according to the industry
Malaysia-Australia FTA in Parliament
3-Nov-2012 Invest in Australia
Australian exporters of dairy products, automotive parts, iron and steel will benefit from improved market access under the MAFTA. Malaysia has also committed to allowing majority Australian ownership of service providers in such industries as telecommunications, insurance, education, tourism, research and development, accountancy and mining-related services.
Australia nudges India trade beyond coal
16-Oct-2012 WSJ
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard attended a business forum in New Delhi today, part of her government’s attempts to capitalize on booming trade with India.
Gillard cites food security in push for Japanese trade agreement
9-Oct-2012 SMH
Australia’s Prime Minister Julia Gillard has used rising concern in Japan about food security to renew the push to finalise a Free Trade Agreement.
Time to seal the deal on Japan FTA: Gillard
8-Oct-2012
Julia Gillard announced last night that it was "time to seal the deal" with Japan on what would be Australia’s biggest bilateral free trade agreement.
Free trade agreement with Japan urgent, say business leader Hugh Morgan
8-Oct-2012
Veteran business and academic figures are warning free trade agreement negotiations between Australia and Japan are now a matter of urgency as challenges from the Asian Century emerge.
4th round of India-Aus FTA talks likely in Nov
7-Oct-2012
The fourth round of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations between India and Australia is expected to be held in November this year, in New Delhi, a top official has said.
As the China FTA stagnates, Ted Baillieu gets on with business
16-Sep-2012
At first blush, it looks like a suicide mission - taking hundreds of businesspeople to China for a big encounter with a one-party state, just weeks before that one party is to stage a 10-yearly leadership transition that will cascade down through every significant job in the country.
Big Tobacco warning at free-trade talks
11-Sep-2012
Delegates attending trans-Pacific free-trade negotiations in the United States are being warned their countries could end up like Australia if they agree to allow corporations to sue governments in international courts.
Pan-Asian FTA possible
31-Aug-2012
Sixteen nations home to roughly half the world’s population have agreed "in principle" to create a free trade area spanning Asia, according to Asean secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan.
Australia scraps carbon floor price, agrees EU link
29-Aug-2012 Reuters
Australia and the European Commission on Tuesday agreed to link their carbon trading schemes by 2018, allowing Australian companies to buy cheaper EU carbon credits and providing a much-needed boost for the flagging European market.
Australia upholds tobacco branding ban
15-Aug-2012
Australia’s High Court has rejected a challenge by the world’s biggest tobacco companies which are seeking to overturn a law requiring cigarettes to be sold in plain packaging from the start of December.
Fair trade group condemns big tobacco’s use of trade agreements to continue plain packaging fight after High Court defeat
15-Aug-2012
“We welcome the High Court decision as a vindication of the Government’s right to regulate tobacco as an addictive substance that still kills 15,000 Australians per year,” Dr Patricia Ranald, Convener of the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network, said today.
Business demands sovereign risk protection in FTAs
13-Aug-2012
The Gillard government’s refusal to reconsider its decision not to demand sovereign risk protection for Australian companies in free-trade agreements has been met with loud objections from leading business groups who say such provisions are vital to international trade, according to The Australian Financial Review.
Australian business leaders launch trade agreement campaign
13-Aug-2012 Tax News
Members of the Australian business community have launched a campaign for trade agreements to include provisions to allow private companies to sue foreign governments for breach of contract or property rights.
Abbott’s Chinese dance
29-Jul-2012
Tony Abbott’s speech in China is interesting on a number of levels. Since May, the Opposition leader has been executing a positive pivot on the Asian Century. This transition has left Mr Abbott more comfortable conceptually than he was last October about a bilateral free trade deal between Canberra and Beijing.