Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dk4vv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T08:13:54.228Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement: Contradictions in Australia and in the Asia Pacific Region

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

Patricia Ranald
Patricia Ranald*
Affiliation:
Research Associate, University of Sydney
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) is currently being negotiated between the US, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Brunei, Peru, Chile, Vietnam and Malaysia. The TPPA is intended to multilateralise the bilateral legally binding agreements the US has with four of these countries, including Australia, as the building block for a legally binding Free Trade Agreement in the Asia Pacific area. The TPPA re-opens many of the issues debated in the US-Australia Free Trade Agreement in 2004. These include pressures from US industry groups for changes to Australian regulation like the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, regulation and labelling of genetically engineered foods and local content rules for Australian media. The paper analyses the endurance of the agenda despite the changes of government in the US and Australia since 2004, and discusses the contradictions and uncertainties of the strategy in Australia and in the Asia Pacific.

Keywords

F13F15K33Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA)bilateral trade agreementsUnited States trade policyAustralia-US Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA)
Type
Article
Information
The Economic and Labour Relations Review , Volume 22 , Issue 1 , May 2011 , pp. 81 - 98
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2011

References

Alwyn, J. (2010) ‘The TPPA and indigenous peoples: Lessons from Latin America’ in Kelsey, Jane (ed.) No Ordinary Deal: Unmasking the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, Allen and Unwin, Sydney, pp. 70–81.Google Scholar
Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (2010) About APEC, available: http://www.apec.org/apec/about_apec.html [accessed 5 October 2010].Google Scholar
AUSTA (2002) Who we are, available: http://www.austa.net/whoAreWe.htm [accessed 9 December 2004].Google Scholar
ABC (2003) Australian Broadcasting Corporation Radio National, Groups outline case against free trade deal, Transcript of The World Today, 24 November, available: http://www.abc.net.au/theworldtoday [accessed 8 December 2004].Google Scholar
ABC Radio National (2010a) Fears new regional trade deal to undermine public interest, PM Programme 15 March, available: http://abc.net.au/radionational/pm [accessed 18 March 2010].Google Scholar
ABC Radio National (2010b) Bilaterals don’t work, Transcript of PM Programme, 14 December, available: http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2010/s3093162.htm [accessed 15 December 2010].Google Scholar
ABC Television (2004) ‘Bitter pill?’ transcript of Four Corners , 2 August 2004, available: http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2004/s1167518.htm [accessed 10 September 2004].Google Scholar
ACTU (2010) Australian Council of Trade Unions, Proposed Pacific Statement must deliver for workers, jobs and the environment, International statement from the Australian Council of Trade Unions, the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions, the Singapore National Trade Union Congress, American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organisations, March 15, available: http://www.actu.org.au [accessed 19 March 2010].Google Scholar
AFTINET (2010) Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network, Don’t trade away health, environmental and social policies. Statement from 33 organisations sent to the Trade Minister, 15 March, available: http://www.aftinet.org.au [accessed 19 March 2010].Google Scholar
Australian Greens (2007) Australian Greens Policy: Sustainable economy, March, available: www.greens.org.au/about/policy [accessed 7 September 2007].Google Scholar
Australian Health Ministers’ Conference (2006) Australian Health Ministers’ conference statement on national self-sufficiency in the supply of blood and blood products, April.Google Scholar
Australian Industry Group (2010) Business seeks better returns from Free Trade Agreements, Media Release 7 January, available: http://www.aigroup.com.au/mediacentre/releases/archive2010 [accessed 5 March 2010].Google Scholar
Australian Labor Party (2009) National Platform and Constitution, 2009, ALP Canberra, Chapter 2, pp. 4–6.Google Scholar
Biotechnology Industry Organisation (2009) Submission to the Office of the US Trade Representative, 11 March, available: http://www.regulations.gov.search/regs/home.html#docketDetail?R=0900006480fa6a1 [accessed 25 March 2010].Google Scholar
Buchanan, P. (2010) ‘Security implications of the TPPA’ in Kelsey, J. (ed.) No Ordinary Deal: Unmasking the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, Allen and Unwin, Sydney, pp. 82–97.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Busch, M., Milner, H. (1994) ‘The Future of the international trading system: International firms, regionalism and domestic politics’ in Stubbs, S., Underhill, G. (eds) Political Economy and the Changing Global Order, St Martin’s Press, New York, pp. 259–276.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Capling, A. (2004) All the Way with the USA: Australia, the US and Free Trade, UNSW Press, Sydney.Google Scholar
Clarke, P., Fitzgerald, E. (2010) ‘Expiry of patent protection on statins: Effects on pharmaceutical expenditure in Australia’, Medical Journal of Australia, (Rapid Online Publication), 27 April, p. 8, available: http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/192_11_070610/cla11057_fm.html [accessed 14 June 2010].Google Scholar
Coalition of Service Industries (2009) Submission to the Office of the US Trade Representative, March 11, available: http://www.regulations.gov.search/regs/home.html#docketDetail?R=0900006480fa6a1 [accessed 25 March 2010].Google Scholar
Colebatch, T., Schneiders, B. (2010) ‘Free Trade talks turn to the Pacific’, The Age, 15 March, p. 4.Google Scholar
Cook, I. (2005) Australians Speak 2005: Public Opinion and Foreign Policy, The Lowy Institute, Sydney.Google Scholar
Cox, R. (1994) ‘Global restructuring’ in Stubbs, R., Underhill, G. (eds) Political Economy and the Changing Global Order, Macmillan, London, pp. 45–59.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Crean, S. (2010a) Pushing forward with the Korean FTA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Media release 15 March, available: http://www.dfat.gov.au/minister.index.html [accessed 20 March 2010].Google Scholar
Crean, S. (2010b) Letter to the Canberra Times , March 17, p. 10.Google Scholar
Davidson, K. (2004) ‘We’ve nothing to gain from US trade deal’, The Age, 22 March, p.11.Google Scholar
Davis, M. (2005) ‘Forging a new trade route’, Australian Financial Review January 5, pp. 44–45.Google Scholar
Davison, M. (2010) ‘Big tobacco’s huff and puff is just hot air’, The Age, 4 May, p.11.Google Scholar
Dee, P., Adams, R., Gali, J., McGuire, G. (2003) The Trade and Investment Effects of Preferential Trading Arrangements — Old and New Evidence, Productivity Commission, Canberra, July.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Department of Health and Ageing (2010) The Impact of PBS Reform, Report to Parliament on the National Health Amendment (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) Act 2007, Commonwealth of Australia.Google Scholar
Emerson, C. (2011) Gillard Government trade policy statement: Trading our way to more jobs and prosperity, Canberra, 12 April.Google Scholar
Faunce, T., Bai, J., Nguyen, D. (2010) ‘The Impact of the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement on Australian medicines regulation and prices’, Journal of Generic Medicines, 7(1), pp.18–29.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Faunce, T., Townsend, R. (2010a) ‘Big pitfalls and fewer freedoms in new trade agreement with US’, Canberra Times, 15 March, p. 9.Google Scholar
Faunce, T., Townsend, R. (2010b) ‘Public health and medicines policies’, in Kelsey, J. (ed.) No Ordinary Deal: Unmasking the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, Allen and Unwin, Sydney, pp. 149–162.Google Scholar
Flood, P., Wills, P., Lawler, P., et al (2006) Review of Australia’s Blood Fractionation Arrangements, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra, December.Google Scholar
Britton, Hawker (2004) US Free Trade Agreement disappoints Australia, Media Release, February 19, Hawker Britton, Sydney, available: http://www.hawkerbritton.com.au [accessed 11 March 2004].Google Scholar
Henry, D. (2003) ‘Free—trade clause would be a dangerous weakening of the law’, Sydney Morning Herald, 23 October, p. 15.Google Scholar
International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (2010) Bridges Weekly, 10 March, available: http://ictsd.org/i/news/bridgesweekly/71988/ [accessed 22 March 2010].Google Scholar
Kelsey, J. (2010) ‘Introduction’ in Kelsey, J. (ed.) No Ordinary Deal: Unmasking the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, Allen and Unwin, Sydney, pp. 9–28.Google Scholar
Kelsey, J., Seuffert, N. (2010) ‘The TPPA and financial sector deregulation’, in Kelsey, J. (ed.) No Ordinary Deal: Unmasking the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, Allen and Unwin, Sydney, pp. 231–245.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Krien, A., Byrnes, H. (2004) ‘The Logies turn political, local content sold out: Actors’, Sun-Herald, 18 April, ID: media/pressclp/UK8C6, Parliamentary Library, Canberra.Google Scholar
Latham, M., (2004) Joint statement by Federal Labor leader Mark Latham and Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and Shadow Minister for Trade Steven Conroy, Media Release, 4 August, Canberra.Google Scholar
Marantis, D. (2010) Letter to the Wall St. Journal , 5 May.Google Scholar
Motion Picture Association of America, (2009) Submission to the Office of the US Trade Representative, 11 March, available: http://www.regulations.gov.search/regs/home.html#docketDetail?R=0900006480fa6a1 [accessed 25 March 2010].Google Scholar
Murphy, T. (2010) ‘Government procurement and labour issues’, in Kelsey, J. (ed.) No Ordinary Deal: Unmasking the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, Allen and Unwin, Sydney, pp. 189–198.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
National Pork Producers Council (2009) Submission to the Office of the US Trade Representative, 11 March, available: http://www.regulations.gov.search/regs/home.html#docketDetail?R=0900006480fa6a1 [accessed 25 March 2010].Google Scholar
Office of the United States Trade Representative (2010) National trade estimate report on foreign trade barriers in Australia, available: http://www.ustr.gov/about-us/press-office/reportsandpublications/201 [accessed 18 June 2010].Google Scholar
O’Malley, N. (2010) ‘Hard sell in a dark market’, Sydney Morning Herald, 24 April, Features, p. 1.Google Scholar
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (2009) Submission to the Office of the US Trade Representative, 10 March, available: http://www.regulations.gov.search/regs/home.html#docketDetail?R=0900006480fa6a1 [accessed 25 March 2010].Google Scholar
Priestley, M. (2008) Australia’s Free Trade Agreements, Background note prepared by Australian Parliamentary Library.Google Scholar
Productivity Commission (2010) Bilateral and Regional Trade Agreements Final Report, Productivity Commission, Canberra, December.Google Scholar
Quiggin, J. (2010) ‘Lessons from the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement’ in Kelsey, J. (ed.) No Ordinary Deal: Unmasking the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, Allen and Unwin, Sydney, pp. 98–108.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ranald, P., Southalan, L. (2004) ‘Ten devils in the detail of the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement’, Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network, May, available: http://www.aftinet.org.au/ [accessed 10 January 2006].Google Scholar
Ranald, P. (2006) ‘The Australia-US Free Trade Agreement: A contest of interests’, Journal of Australian Political Economy, 57, June pp. 30–56.Google Scholar
Ranald, P. (2010) ‘The politics of the TPPA in Australia’, in Kelsey, J. (ed.) No Ordinary Deal: Unmasking the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, Allen and Unwin, Sydney, pp. 40–61.Google Scholar
Senate Community Affairs Committee, (2010) Reference Inquiry into Consumer Access to Pharmaceutical Benefits, May 7, available: http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/senate/commttee/S12998.pdf [accessed 24 May 2010].Google Scholar
Saulwick, J. (2010) ‘Nations ponder terms for Pacific free trade’, Sydney Morning Herald, 16 March, p. 6.Google Scholar
Stiglitz, J., Charlton, A. (2005) Fair Trade for All, Oxford University Press, New York.Google Scholar
Tienhaara, K. (2009) The Expropriation of Environmental Governance: Protecting Foreign Investors at the Expense of Public Policy, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.Google Scholar
Tienhaara, K. (2010) ‘Trade discord a deal breaker’, Canberra Times, 22 March, p. 15.Google Scholar
Tiffen, R. (2010) ‘Mind the gap: The benefits from free trade haven’t quite gone the distance’, The Age, Melbourne, 3 March, available: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/mind-the-gap-benefits-from-free-trade-havent-quite-gone-the-distance-20100302-pg6p.html [accessed 25 March 2010].Google Scholar
US Sugar Alliance (2009) Submission to the Office of the US Trade Representative, 11 March, available: http://www.regulations.gov.search/regs/home.html#docketDetail?R=0900006480fa6a1 [accessed 25 March 2010].Google Scholar
Wallach, L., Tucker, T. (2010) ‘US politics and the TPPA’ in Kelsey, J. (ed.) No Ordinary Deal: Unmasking the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, Allen and Unwin, Sydney, pp. 52–69.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wallach, L. (2010) Interview on ABC Radio National Late Night Live , 17 November, available: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/latenightlive/ [accessed 19 November 2010].Google Scholar
Weiss, L., et al (2004) How to Kill a Country: Australia’s Devastating Trade Deal with the United States, Allen and Unwin, Sydney.Google Scholar
Weiss, L., Hobson, J. (1995) States and Economic Development: A Comparative Historical Analysis, Polity Press, Cambridge.Google Scholar
Zoellick, R. (2002) Letter to the US Senate, Washington, 13 November, available: http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Letters_to_Congress/2002/USTR_Zoellick_Notifies_Congress_of_Intent_To_Initiate_Free_Trade_Negotiations_With_Australia.html [accessed 1 September 2004].Google Scholar