Releasing TPP text early is inconsistent: Robb
Australian Financial Review | 16 Dec 2013
Releasing TPP text early is inconsistent: Robb
The government’s position regarding the public release of final text for a Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement has been inaccurately reported by your newspaper. (“Public to see TPP deal before signing: Robb”, AFR, December 12).
The previous government, in fact, agreed to a confidentiality undertaking to prevent the early release of TPP negotiating documents.
Releasing negotiating text before any agreement is signed off by negotiating parties would be inconsistent with processes followed by successive governments, both Coalition and Labor.
Once an agreement is signed by the negotiating parties, it is then tabled in parliament for scrutiny and is also examined by the joint standing committee on treaties before it is ratified. This is the very process the previous government adhered to when it concluded its most recent free trade agreement with Malaysia.
Andrew Robb
Minister for Trade and Investment
Canberra, ACT
