OFF THE WIRE
Update: Abbott's government has confirmed they're getting ready to crack down on internet freedom to comply with the TPP -- including a "three strikes" provision that forces ISPs to monitor and police our activity online.
Tony Abbott's trade minister is about to sign a secret, global pact to allow corporations to sue the Australian government for billions -- just for passing laws to protect our health or the environment.
The secret meeting in Singapore is happening this week. Tony Abbott wants us to believe the 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is all about getting a better deal for ordinary Australians. But the truth is that it could end up being one of the biggest corporate power grabs in a generation.
Abbott and his cronies are refusing to make the deal public (although corporate lobbyists seem to be getting the inside track) -- making it hard to know just what's in the TPP. But leaks so far indicate this is bad news. That’s why Tony Abbott wants it to stay confidential -- he’d prefer to quietly sign away our rights without a big fuss.
This deal is too important to leave to the politicians: it could affect the lives of Australians for generations to come.
Can you tell Tony Abbott not to sign away our democratic rights and reject the TPP?
The TPP is being negotiated by 12 countries from around the Pacific. They’re discussing everything from restricting internet freedoms to weakening environmental protections. But that’s not the worst of it. One of the key bits of the deal is a system that will allow the world’s biggest companies to overturn our democratically decided laws.
Tony Abbott hasn’t exactly shown himself to be a pro at foreign affairs. We’ve seen him time and time again make mistakes on the international stage. Can we be sure to trust Tony Abbott to negotiate the best deal for the Australian people, especially while he refuses to be open about what he’s actually doing?
Together we decided that working on stopping unfair global trade deals as one of our top priorities for 2014. So we’ve been busy working on a plan that stretches right around the globe and we’re going to need lots of help. Already, SumOfUs members have been active in the USA calling on Congress to refuse Obama the right to negotiate without consent. We’re also busy building opposition in Canada and in New Zealand too. Now it’s our turn to send a clear message to our government -- “say no to the TPP”.
More Information:
Mixed feelings on promise of trade deal, The Australian, 05 February 2014
'Toothless' environment protections in secretive global trade pact TPP leaked all over the web, The Register, 15 January 2014
WikiLeaks publishes secret draft chapter of Trans-Pacific Partnership, The Guardian, November 2013.
Tony Abbott's trade minister is about to sign a secret, global pact to allow corporations to sue the Australian government for billions -- just for passing laws to protect our health or the environment.
The secret meeting in Singapore is happening this week. Tony Abbott wants us to believe the 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is all about getting a better deal for ordinary Australians. But the truth is that it could end up being one of the biggest corporate power grabs in a generation.
Abbott and his cronies are refusing to make the deal public (although corporate lobbyists seem to be getting the inside track) -- making it hard to know just what's in the TPP. But leaks so far indicate this is bad news. That’s why Tony Abbott wants it to stay confidential -- he’d prefer to quietly sign away our rights without a big fuss.
This deal is too important to leave to the politicians: it could affect the lives of Australians for generations to come.
Can you tell Tony Abbott not to sign away our democratic rights and reject the TPP?
The TPP is being negotiated by 12 countries from around the Pacific. They’re discussing everything from restricting internet freedoms to weakening environmental protections. But that’s not the worst of it. One of the key bits of the deal is a system that will allow the world’s biggest companies to overturn our democratically decided laws.
Tony Abbott hasn’t exactly shown himself to be a pro at foreign affairs. We’ve seen him time and time again make mistakes on the international stage. Can we be sure to trust Tony Abbott to negotiate the best deal for the Australian people, especially while he refuses to be open about what he’s actually doing?
Together we decided that working on stopping unfair global trade deals as one of our top priorities for 2014. So we’ve been busy working on a plan that stretches right around the globe and we’re going to need lots of help. Already, SumOfUs members have been active in the USA calling on Congress to refuse Obama the right to negotiate without consent. We’re also busy building opposition in Canada and in New Zealand too. Now it’s our turn to send a clear message to our government -- “say no to the TPP”.
More Information:
Mixed feelings on promise of trade deal, The Australian, 05 February 2014
'Toothless' environment protections in secretive global trade pact TPP leaked all over the web, The Register, 15 January 2014
WikiLeaks publishes secret draft chapter of Trans-Pacific Partnership, The Guardian, November 2013.
