Asia-Pacific free trade plan comes under fire
Australia Network News | 16 November 2010
Asia-Pacific free trade plan comes under fire
Jemima Garrett
Academics, unions and consumers groups in Australia, New Zealand and United States have strongly criticised the US-backed Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade arrangement.
Nine Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation pact (APEC) countries have signed up to join the negotiations for the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership. Advocates say it will lower tariffs and cut costs to consumers and business.
But a new book edited by Auckland University Law Professor Jane Kelsey says the whole deal needs rethinking.
The authors warn it will reduce government’s ability to make regulations to protect their citizens from powerful corporations.
Lori Wallach, from the Washington-based consumer advocacy group, Public Citizen, says there is growing opposition to the trans-Pacific partnership in the US.
Ms Wallach says the Obama administrations prime motivation for pushing the arrangement is its desire to counter the growing power of China.
