The Australia-US Free Trade Agreement in the Media
- 2006 -
December 15, 2006, "Call to block US blood processors", The Age, By Annabel Stafford
Australia should reject a push by US pharmaceutical companies for the right to make Australian blood into products such as immunoglobulin and then sell it back to us, a review is expected to say. As part of the US free trade agreement, Canberra agreed to consider allowing American companies to compete for the right to process Australian-donated blood. More...
28 November 2006, "Free trade deal may fast track nanotech", ABC Science Online, By Judy Skatssoon
Australia may be forced to rush through inadequately tested and unsafe medical nanotherapies because of its free trade agreement with the US, a health technology regulation expert says. Dr Thomas Faunce, a senior lecturer at the ANU college of law and medical school, says Australia is obliged under the free trade agreement (FTA) to make innovative pharmaceutical products more readily available. More...
24 November 2006, "Industry slams rushed copyright reforms", Australian Financial Review, By Lucinda Schmidt
The tide of complaints against the federal government's fast-tracked copyright amendments - which are due to pass the Senate in the next few weeks - is swelling as the full ramifications of the changes become apparent. The speed of the reforms is dictated by the US Free-Trade Agreement (FTA), which requires Australia to beef-up its anti-hacking laws by January. More...
7 October 2006, "FTA delivers immediate results — for the US", The Age, By Nassim Khadem
Australia's exports to the US are still declining after the introduction of the free trade agreement between the countries. Despite expectations that the agreement would immediately lift exports, a quarterly review of Australia's international trade shows a stronger Australian dollar caused the value of exports to the US to drop 0.9 per cent to $13.7 billion last year. More...
7 October 2006, "First signs of gains after US free trade deal", The Australian, By Joseph Kerr
The Australia-US free trade deal appears to be bearing its first fruit, with millions in extra exports of meat, car parts, motor boats and even oranges since the deal started last year. More...
19 September 2006, "US Free Trade Deal is No Two Way Street", The Age, By Ian Porter and Nabila Ahmed
Out of the 127 countries with which the US trades, 87 of them run trade surpluses with the world's biggest economy. But not us. Of the other 40 countries, Australia runs the fourth-largest trade deficit, $US5.24 billion in the seven months to July, according to the US Commerce Department. The only economies with larger trade deficits are Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates and the Netherlands. More...
29 August 2006, "US drug companies eye Australia", The Age, By Michelle Grattan and Annabel Stafford
US drug companies have already been lobbying the new US ambassador to Australia, Robert McCallum, to push for better access. Mr McCallum yesterday said that promoting free trade agreement potential was among his top priorities. He also said the US had not given up on the Doha trade round, which recently collapsed. More...
29 August 2006, "US envoy targets trade issues", Australian Financial Review, By Tracy Sutherland
The new US ambassador to Australia, Robert McCallum, has signalled he will renew a push to improve access for American pharmaceuticals into Australia through the free-trade agreement. In his first Australian press conference yesterday, Mr McCallum nominated the FTA among his top three priorities and revealed he was lobbied by American pharmaceutical companies before he even left the US. More...
11 August 2006, "America invests less despite FTA", Australian Financial Review, by Tracy Sutherland
According to annual foreign investment figures for the 2005 calendar year, which coincide with the first year of operation of the US-Australia free trade agreement, US foreign investment into Australia fell from $360 billion in 2004 to $325.3 billion the following year. US foreign investment into Australia was tipped to soar under the FTA, which relaxed the Foreign Investment Review Board's controls over such approaches. More...
18 Jul 2006, Medical News Today, "US FTA Threatens Blood Supply - Australia"
The safety of Australia's blood supply could be at risk under the free trade agreement with the United States according to ANU research published today in the Medical Journal of Australia. More...
14 July 2006, AAP, "FTA threatens blood supply: study"
The safety of the Australian blood supply could be jeopardised under the free trade agreement with the United States, researchers have warned. Under the FTA, the federal government agreed to recommend to the states and territories that Australia's blood product arrangements be opened up to overseas tender. But researchers at the Australian National University have warned that transporting plasma over longer distances would leave it vulnerable to error and loss. More...
14 July, 2006, ABC Radio National: PM, "FTA may pose risk to blood donation safety standards", Reporter: Conor Duffy
In one of the less-publicised consequences of Australia's Free Trade Agreement with the US, foreign companies may get the right to process Australian blood donations. Researchers from the Australian National University say in a report today that that could increase the risk that blood could become contaminated with infections like HIV and hepatitis. More...
14 July 2006, Medical Journal of Australia, "Potential impact of AUSFTA on Australia’s blood supply", By Hilary J Bambrick, Thomas A Faunce and Kellie Johnston
In the Australia–United States Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA), Australia agreed to review its current contract with CSL Limited, and to recommend to the states and territories that the process be opened up to overseas tender. But Off-shore fractionation could compromise the safety of Australia’s blood supply, and this could compromise the long-term care of Australian patients and create a serious national security risk in the event of a terrorist attack or natural disaster. More...
June 2006, "The Australia-US free trade agreement: a contest of interests", Journal of Australian Policial Economy, no. 57, pp 30-56, By Patricia Ranald
This article analyses the social forces that supported and opposed the AUSFTA, explores why the agreement was signed despite widespread public opposition in Australia, assesses the impact of oppositional campaigns on the content of the agreement in some key areas and analyses the environment and labour chapters. More...
June 12, 2006, The Age, "Free trade fears in Snowy backflip", By Rod Myer
The last-minute scrapping of the $3 billion Snowy Hydro float, attributed by the Government to the public outcry at the prospect of losing control of an "icon", may have been partly prompted by fears it would contravene Australia's free trade agreement negotiated with the US last year. More...
May 16, 2006, The Australian, "Bad blood over FTA", By Sean Parnell
AUSTRALIA'S monopoly blood processor, CSL, has backed Red Cross calls for a ban on plasma imports and warned against opening up the nation's supply network to overseas companies. More...
May 15, 2006, ABC 7:30 Report, "FTA flags offshore processing of Aust blood supplies"
In a world where everything seems to have been reduced to a commercial transaction, it's remarkable to think that Australia's blood supplies still come from voluntary donations. But that tradition could be about to change thanks to the free trade agreement signed with the United States. The fear there is that this could be the first step towards paying for blood. More...
May 8, 2006, Sydney Morning Herald, "Drug subsidy appeal to test new review", By Mark Metherell
An American drug company will challenge Australia's refusal to grant prescription subsidies for an $850-per-month osteoporosis drug, in the first test of review measures demanded by the US under the free trade agreement. More...
May 8, 2006, ABC Radio: The World Today, "US drug company appeals PBS decision"
It's just over a year since the Australia US Free Trade Agreement came into force, opening the door for US drug companies to force a review of decisions about which drugs are subsidised by the Australian Government. Now that power is being used by the US drug company Eli Lilly. More...
April 25, 2006, Bendigo Advertiser, "Keep the FTA away from our plasma"
What possible rationale could there be for introducing competition into a system that, to date, has provided one of the safest blood systems in the world? More...
April 19, 2006, AAP, "US trade deal failing some Aussie firms"
Australia's free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States is only benefiting businesses with well-established links, Australia's peak industry group says. More...
April 19, 2006, The Australian, "Offshore blood supply too risky: ALP"
Labor said it shared the Red Cross' concerns about the safety of Australia's blood supply if processing was moved offshore. Labor health spokeswoman Julia Gillard today said "Under the United States Free Trade Agreement, the Government is reviewing our blood fractionation arrangements and appears to be contemplating allowing Australians to have blood products dealt with offshore. It's not safe and we don't want Australia's blood supply polluted." More...
April 6, 2006, The Age, "FTA may threaten furniture makers", By Philip Hopkins
A free trade deal with China would be a big threat to Victorian furniture manufacturers because China already seems to be dumping its product in Australia, the industry has warned. More...
March 9, 2006, The Age, Vaile briefs officials, defends monopoly", By Michael Gawenda
Trade Minister Mark Vaile has briefed senior Bush Administration officials on the Cole inquiry, will today brief members of Congress, and is defending Australia's monopoly wheat sales system from the attacks of US lobby groups under a review of the free trade agreement with the US. More...
March 8, 2006, ABC Radio National: The World Today "US wants AWB monopoly scrapped", Reporter: Michael Rowland
The United States Government has used its annual trade talks with Australia to reiterate its call for the Australian wheat export monopoly held by AWB to be scrapped. The AWB kickback scandal was raised during lengthy talks between Trade Minister Mark Vaile and the US Trade Representative Rob Portman. More...
March 8, 2006, United Press International, "U.S. resists Australian calls to reopen trade talks", By Donna Borak
The United States said Tuesday it would not re-open a completed bilateral trade agreement with the Australian government to expand access to U.S. sugar markets, but would work to expand trade and investment ties between the two nations. More...
March 8, 2006, AAP, "Australia, US hold formal review of FTA"
Australia and the United States both say a free trade agreement has boosted each other's economy, but they have used a review of the deal to block major changes in sensitive products. More...
March 08, 2006, AAP, "Australia, US review free trade"
AUSTRALIA and the United States have agreed to look but not act on changes to the free trade agreement between the two nations at a meeting in Washington. Trade Minister Mark Vaile and his US counterpart, Rob Portman, met for several hours as part of the first formal review of the free trade agreement (FTA) that came into operation from January 1. More...
March 8, 2006, AFP, "US, Australia review FTA"
Australia has pressed the United States to grant more access in sensitive commercial areas as the two countries held their first review of a landmark free trade agreement (FTA). US trade representative Rob Portman and Australian Trade Minister Mark Vaile said the free trade agreement (FTA), which took effect in January 2005, had lent a major boost to each nations' exporters. More....
March 8, 2006, The Guardian (Australia), "No intention of becoming Third World farmers", By Tom Pearson
Just one year into the free trade agreement (FTA) with the US, Trade Minister Mark Vaile - who signed the FTA - may agree to dump the Australian Wheat Board (AWB) single desk system. The system was set up in 1939 when growers pooled their wheat to protect their incomes. More...
March 7, 2006, AAP, "Sugar the focus in US FTA talks
Australia will pressure the United States to lock in extra exports of sugar in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in talks on the free trade agreement (FTA) between the two nations on Wednesday. But Trade Minister Mark Vaile said he was not expecting any major changes to the agreement when he sits down for its first formal review with US Trade Representative Rob Portman. More...
March 5, 2006, AAP, "No change likely on sugar in FTA talks"
Australia will push the United States to open its protected sugar market at the first review of the free trade agreement (FTA) between the trans-Pacific economic partners. But Trade Minister Mark Vaile concedes it's unlikely the US will open its market to more Australian sugar, while there was no chance America would get concessions on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). More...
January 12, 2006, Herald Sun, "Urgent call to amend FTA", By George Lekakis
The Bracks Government yesterday called on the Federal Government to negotiate "urgent amendments" to the Free Trade Agreement with the United States, claiming Victorian manufacturers had become victims of artificial trade barriers. More...
January 10, 2006, The Age, "Australia left holding trade's billion-dollar baby", By Martin Feil
The United States-Australia free trade agreement has now been operating for a year. Australian exports to the US appear to be down and American exports to Australia appear to be up. The net result is another billion dollars of deficit in the current account between the two countries. Some people are saying that we have been sold a pup and others are saying that it is too early to tell. More...
January 7, 2006, The Age, "Free trade free-for-all", By Shaun Carney
A year on, the United States trade agreement is proving to be neither free nor fair. More...
January 7, 2006, Sydney Morning Herald, "Farmers reap what the negotiators sowed", By Daniel Lewis
There were no farmers marching down Parkes' main street on New Year's Day singing "Viva FTA" to mark the first birthday of Australia's free trade agreement with the US. A survey of the agriculture sector published by Austrade found 32 per cent were positive about the deal, but 11 per cent were negative and 57 per cent were in between. More...
January 7, 2006, Sydney Morning Herald, "The high cost of free trade", By Mark Metherell and Matt Wade
Business with the United States looks one-sided a year after the controversial deal was done. More...
January 06, 2006, The Australian, "Done like a dinner on free trade deal", By Michael Costello
TO laugh or to cry? That is the question. Do you laugh at the increasingly ludicrous attempts by defenders of the US-Australia Free Trade Agreement to explain away the results of the FTA's operation since it came into effect last year? They demonstrate that, as forecast, the FTA is a winner for the US and a dud for Australia. Or do you cry for fear that those same defenders will fail the most basic test of human intelligence by refusing to learn from mistakes irrespective of the empirical evidence? More...
January 5, 2006, The Age, "Australia loses out in FTA's first year"
THE Government has blamed a stronger currency and increased competition from Asia for a disappointing first year in Australia's trade pact with the US. Figures from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade revealed Australia sold less to America but bought more from the economic giant in the year after it signed its Free Trade Agreement. More...
January 5, 2006, Courier Mail, "Call for rethink on 'lopsided' US trade deal", By Liam Walsh
A public advocacy group has called for a rethink of Australia's free trade agreement with the US following an analysis of trade data which show declines with the United States. More...
January 5, 2006, AAP, "US sugar industry vows to fight changes"
The US sugar industry has pledged to put up a ferocious fight against any moves to open up the US sugar market to Australian farmers. Key American sugar groups - US Sugar Corp and the American Sugar Alliance - were surprised to hear Australian Trade Minister Mark Vaile reveal plans to lobby the US government to include sugar in the US-Australia free-trade agreement. More...
January 4, 2006, Sydney Morning Herald, "Warning: giving in to the US may have serious side effects", By Thomas Faunce and Andrew Searles
Australia's enlightened policy on pricing medicines is under threat from a US-led global drugs industry which is hungry for profits. More...
January 4, 2006, Herald Sun, "Medicines trade deal price fear", By Jason Frenkel
DOCTORS have warned Australians could be denied access to cheap generic medicines if the Howard Government caves in to pressure from American pharmaceutical companies over the free trade agreement. More...
January 04, 2006, The Australian "Cost of drugs 'to rise' in FTA plan", By Steve Lewis
The cost of subsidised medicines will rise if the Howard Government bows to US demands to scrap a key safeguard in the free trade agreement, Labor and health experts have predicted. The Opposition is also calling on the Government to reopen FTA talks and give Australian sugar farmers access to the lucrative US market, ahead of a formal review in March. More...
January 4, 2006, Dow Jones, "Sugar, Beef Access To Be Part Of Australia-US FTA Review"
Better access to the U.S. market for Australian sugar and beef producers will be raised when Canberra and Washington undertake a comprehensive review of their one-year-old free trade agreement. More...
January 4, 2006, AAP, "United States the FTA winner one year on"
The government has blamed a stronger currency and increased competition from Asia for a disappointing first year in Australia's new trade pact with the United States. Figures from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade revealed Australia sold less to America but bought more from the economic giant in the year after it signed its FTA. More...
January 4, 2006, Australian Financial Review, "Exporters still waiting for the pay-off", By Tracy Sutherland
Australian business has failed to reap significant benefits from the first 12months of the US-Australia free-trade agreement (FTA), but experts say there will be better rewards this year. The first anniversary of the deal fell on New Year's Day. In that first year, Australian exports to the US fell and the trade deficit between the two nations grew. More... (Sub required)
January 4, 2006, ABC News, "Exports plummet in post-FTA trade"
Government figures show Australian exports to the US have fallen since the US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) came into force a year ago. In the 12 months to October last year, Australian exports to the United States fell by 4.7 per cent while US imports rose by 5.7 per cent. More...
January 3, 2006, ABC 7:30 Report, "Drug companies pressure Govt to review FTA", Reporter: Jeremy Thompson
The Government will review provisions within the FTA with the US that were designed to keep the cost of pharmaceuticals down. At present, large fines can be imposed on drug companies that seek to extend the life of patents by making small changes in the drug and applying for a new patent. This practice is referred to as 'evergreening' and it means the patent never expires. Critics argue that if evergreening is not embargoed, consumers will be paying much, much more for their medicines. More...
January 3, 2006, ABC Radio National: AM, "FTA drug safeguard could be scrapped", Reporter: Peta Donald
One of the most hard fought provisions in Australia's Free Trade Agreement with the United States, which was signed just 12 months ago, was over conditions which affect the cost of prescription drugs. Australia's deal with the US is up for review in March, and there's pressure from the big American pharmaceutical companies for some changes to be made. More...
January 3, 2006, ABC News, "Drug lobby promises no medicine price rises"
The body representing Australia's pharmaceutical companies has rejected claims that medicine prices will rise if the Federal Government removes a Labor amendment to the US Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The Government is considering scrapping Labor's anti-evergreening clause, which was aimed at protecting access to cheaper generic drugs. More...
January 03, 2006, AAP, "Cheap drugs will be protected: Vaile"
The availability of cheap drugs under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) will not be affected by plans to scrap pricing protections in the US free trade deal, acting Prime Minister Mark Vaile said. Mr Vaile said the "evergreening" amendment to the US-Australia free trade agreement (FTA) negotiated by former federal Labor leader Mark Latham could be tossed out after intense lobbying by the US pharmaceutical industry. More...
January 3, 2006, ABC News, "FTA change will push drug prices up: ALP"
The Federal Opposition is warning the cost of medicines will rise if a Labor amendment designed to protect Australian drug prices in the US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is removed. In 2004, Labor demanded that a clause was included in the deal that it said would ensure the availability of cheaper, generic drugs. Powerful US drug companies are now pushing for its removal. More...
January 3, 2006, AAP, "Medicine costs won't rise: govt"
The government and drug companies are insisting Australians will not pay more for medicine as Australia appears set to scrap a key price control in the US trade deal. But doctors, trade analysts and the opposition say the move would put more pressure on the cash strapped Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), leading to inevitable price hikes under a lopsided free trade agreement (FTA) that favours the United States. More...
January 03, 2006, The Australian, "FTA drug safeguard at risk", By Steve Lewis
The Howard Government is considering abandoning a controversial plank of the US free trade agreement that Labor insisted was necessary to ensure drug prices were kept in check. More...
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