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Australia

New trade agreement threatens Australia’s laws on medicines and tobacco
1-Sep-2011 Crikey
Australia leads the world in many areas of public health but the Federal Government could be negotiating our achievements away, according to Dr Patricia Ranald, Convenor, Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network
Procurement a sticking point in FTA talks
26-Aug-2011 Livemint
India has convinced both New Zealand and Australia not to include the subject in the ongoing negotiations
World-first plain packaging for tobacco products becomes law in Australia
25-Aug-2011 The Conversation
Legislation requiring tobacco products to be in plain packaging was passed by Australia’s House of Representatives last night. This is the first such measure in the world to become law.
Philip Morris v. Uruguay on cigarette branding: Will investor-state arbitration send restrictions on tobacco marketing up in smoke?
4-Aug-2011 Info Justice
Philip Morris asserts that fair and equitable treatment includes a right to a “stable and predictable regulatory framework” as well as rights under treaties in addition to customary international law.
Indonesia ready for FTA with New Zealand, Australia
30-Jul-2011
Indonesia is ready to soon implement a free trade agreement with Australia and New Zealand as part of a free trade pact signed by ASEAN and the two countries.
Exporters urged to use lower tariffs under free trade deal
25-Jul-2011
Filipino exporters are encouraged to take advantage of reduced tariffs under the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) to increase their exports of goods and services to Australia, the world’s 13th largest economy.
Hitch in bid to curb phone roaming costs
18-Jul-2011 SMH
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is investigating if the introduction of price caps on mobile roaming fees will have an impact on the free-trade agreement with the US and agreements with Pacific countries.
India, Australia to hold 1st round of FTA talks in end-July
13-Jul-2011 Economic Times
Australia and India are all set to hold the first preliminary round of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations in India by the end of this month, according to Australian High Commissioner to India Peter Varghese.
Julia Gillard stands firm on cigarette plain packaging
27-Jun-2011
Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she won’t be intimidated by big tobacco after Philip Morris launched legal action to try to force the government to back down on introducing plain packaging for cigarettes.
Cigarettes may be too hot to handle
28-May-2011 The Australian
The Australian government’s attempt to bring in plain packaging for cigarettes may violate the TRIPS agreement, the US-Australia free trade agreement and the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property
No strings needed on funding for OCTA - NGOs
25-May-2011 ABC Radio Australia
A number of Australian non government organisation say they are concerned that Australia and New Zealand want to limit the activities of the Pacific-led trade advisory body, the Office of Chief Trade Adviser — also known as OCTA.
ISPs targeted in Pacific trade agreement
13-May-2011
Representatives from Australia’s internet industry have called for full disclosure of a proposed free trade agreement between the United States and its allies in the Pacific, concerned that the deal asks ISPs to shoulder onerous burdens around copyright infringement.
Uranium to be part of FTA between India, Australia
11-May-2011
With India expected to kick off free trade negotiations with Australia tomorrow, the opposition party here today called for inclusion of uranium sale issue in the negotiations.
Gillard voices importance of FTA with Japan
23-Apr-2011
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard stressed Thursday in Tokyo the importance of concluding a free trade agreement between the country and Japan, while vowing to remain a reliable supplier of natural resources to the quake-hit nation.
Stung by Asean-China deal, Minister asks for FTA delay
11-Apr-2011 Antara
Indonesia’s Industry Minister MS Hidayat has asked for a postponement of the free-trade agreement between Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand to allow for further study.
PM panel to review India-EU free trade pact on Wednesday
6-Apr-2011 PTI
The panel would also clear negotiations for India-Australia FTA and examine setting up a joint study group for a possible free trade pact between India and the Common Market For Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
PM-led council to deliberate on India-Australia FTA
6-Apr-2011
A council headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would deliberate on the feasibility of starting a dialogue on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and Australia, besides a more comprehensive agreement with Indonesia.
Australia-Korea FTA on the way
21-Mar-2011 JoongAng Daily
Jim Lim, the newly appointed chairman of the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Korea, or AustChamKorea, expects the free trade agreement between Korea and Australia to be signed in the first half of this year.
Stop cheap goods from China: AWU
2-Mar-2011
The Australian Workers Union (AWU) has renewed its calls for the federal government to protect jobs and producers from Chinese companies dumping subsidised goods in the local market.
Gillard aims for bigger free trade zone
15-Feb-2011 AAP
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has set a goal of achieving an expanded Pacific region free trade zone by the end of the year, bringing more nations into the TPP fold.