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Australia

FTA ’can’t be relaxed’ for China
26-Jul-2012 Stock & Land
China has been pushing to accelerate negotiations on an FTA with Australia, and has recently indicated it would want more liberal rules to apply to state-owned enterprises.
SA Government signs trade agreement with China
28-Jun-2012 Adelaide Now
The South Australian Government has signed a trade and economic cooperation agreement with China in a bid to grow exports.
Ensuring Free Trade Agreements don’t impede access to HIV treatments
1-Jun-2012
The UN’s top agency for HIV-AIDS has warned that million of lives could be at risk, if intellectual property and other trade agreements impede access to treatment.
Craig Emerson certain FTA deal with Japan is close
1-Jun-2012
Momentum and political will on sealing the long-awaited free trade agreement with Australia are building in Japan, Trade Minister Craig Emerson said yesterday.
Free trade agreement with Malaysia opens up education, telco sectors
22-May-2012
Malaysia and Australia signed a free trade agreement that will allow Malaysia to export all goods duty-free into Australia once the deal comes into force on January 1, 2013.
In the dark on trade deal
21-May-2012
At 11.30 this morning, Kuala Lumpur time, Trade Minister Craig Emerson and his Malaysian counterpart will sign a free trade agreement that promises "a new chapter" in the Australia-Malaysia relationship.
Trade win with Malaysia spurs regional talks
20-May-2012
Labor hopes a breakthrough free trade agreement to be signed with Malaysia tomorrow - giving Australian companies unprecedented access to Asia’s eighth-biggest economy - will provide momentum to negotiations on other bilateral deals across the Pacific region.
FTA with China is on track, says Carr
14-May-2012
Foreign Minister Bob Carr wants to "broaden and deepen" Australia’s relationship with China in the face of growing international competition.
3rd round of India-Australia FTA talk to be held this month
5-May-2012
India and Australia will hold the third round of negotiations for the conclusion of a comprehensive free trade agreement in Sydney later this month.
Japan, Australia apart on FTA talks
24-Apr-2012
Japan and Australia kicked off five days of talks in Canberra Monday on sealing a free-trade agreement as persistent differences remained on agricultural products.
Emerson says China free trade deal overrated
24-Apr-2012
Trade Minister Craig Emerson says a free trade agreement with China is overrated. Talks between the two countries began nearly seven years ago but have faced a number of problems, particularly around agricultural trade.
Milne says free trade deal would hurt apple and pear growers
20-Apr-2012
The Greens leader says the proposed Trans-Pacific Free Trade Agreement would put the Australian apple and pear industry at risk.
No Korean FTA today - Gillard
1-Apr-2012
Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she will raise the topic of free trade with the South Korean president, but a final deal could be some way off.
‘Malaysia-Australia FTA on track despite Lynas issue’
29-Mar-2012 Borneo Post
The issue of the Lynas rare earth plant will not disrupt the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations between Malaysia and Australia, said International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.
Meat industry wants free trade deal with Korea
21-Mar-2012
The Australian Meat Industry Council says Australian beef exporters need a free trade agreement with Korea.
Secret trade deal threatens democracy
12-Mar-2012
A “free trade agreement” being negotiated by Australia, the United States and other countries could have profound impacts on crucial public policy issues including food security, natural resource management, access to essential medicines, public assets and more.
Nationals scrutiny ’threatens’ free trade agreements
12-Mar-2012
Labor has seized on Coalition disunity over foreign investment to warn that a Nationals plan for new restrictions on investment in farmland would breach the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement.
Trans-Pacific Trade Pact Reveals U.S.’s Unbridled Corporate Agenda
10-Mar-2012
The 11th round of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) talks concluded in Melbourne Friday, with member states suggesting the negotiations had made significant progress but civil society groups reiterating concerns that the United States’ corporate demands could undermine social, economic and environmental policies. "We do know that global corporations are pushing hard for the inclusion of provisions that benefit companies, but not necessarily workers and communities," Gerardine Kearney, President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), told IPS.
Labor standing firm on Pacific trade deal
5-Mar-2012 Sydney Morning Herald
The federal government is standing firm against Australian and US business demands that it allow controversial dispute settlement clauses into an ambitious new Pacific free trade deal.
NGOs warn against corporate influence on trade talks
1-Mar-2012 Radio Australia
The 11th round of negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership or TPP begins in Melbourne, on Thursday. Civil society groups are warning against allowing corporate influence, to drive the talks with outcomes that may disadvantage the poor and vulnerable in those nations. Interview with Patricia Ranald of AFTINET.