Trans Pacific Partnership - Threat to Democracy?

[rumpole]

According to some is it.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/com...tors-over-citizens-rights-20140103-309nb.html

All the indications from the recent Singapore meeting on the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) are that Australian society is about to undergo a momentous shift in its governance arrangements. The recent Korea-Australia Free Trade Agreement (KAFTA) gives a pointer.

It includes an investor-state dispute settlement mechanism. This provides rights of foreign investors (additional to those of local businesses) to challenge our legislation where it impedes their profits overseas before panels of trade arbitrators. Our government claimed it had ''ensured the inclusion of appropriate carve-outs and safeguards in important areas such as public welfare, health and the environment.''

The Australian government has no mandate to introduce such a significant change in our sovereignty and governance. Though the present author and others raised the issue of such greater rights of foreign investors over local businesses during the preceding electoral campaign it was never the subject of major policy debate or positioning.

The insertion of such foreign investor rights into our governance system is a momentous event in the history of our democracy. According to the central document in our social contract, fundamental alterations in Australia's governance arrangements require not just legislation but a referendum. Thus, a majority of Australian citizens in a majority of states were needed to support the creation of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme or the citizenship of Aboriginal Australians.


Yet, as a result of the TPPA, this country risks displacing the authority of citizens who live and support families, friends, local communities and ecosystems in this land, in favour of a system privileging artificial people called corporations.

The multinational corporations to which the KAFTA and the TPPA will be ceding rights to challenge our democratic laws are regarded by the law as ''people''. They can sue in courts to protect their rights. But they lack conscience, empathy, the capacity to develop virtues though consistent application of generally applicable principle, that constitute the richness of our character. Corporations can never marry or have children. They seek to fulfil a monomanical basic craving - to maximise shareholder profit.


Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/com...zens-rights-20140103-309nb.html#ixzz2u7aFozao

More at the link above.

The concept is not going down to well in the US either

http://www.upworthy.com/a-secret-tr...even-allowed-to-talk-about-it-publicly?c=ufb1

If there is nothing underhand in this proposed treaty, it should be fully debated in Parliament AND put to a referendum before it's signed.

 

[So_Cynical]

Re: Trans Pacicfic Partnership - Threat to Democracy ?

Trans Pacicfic Partnership....new to me.

Some Background

Dept of Trade site https://www.dfat.gov.au/fta/tpp/

Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Pacific_Partnership

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Sovereignty and democracy are allays issues with these big treaty's, lots of people still carry on about the EU.

 

[rumpole]

Re: Trans Pacicfic Partnership - Threat to Democracy ?

Trans Pacicfic Partnership....new to me.

Yes, that's the problem, it seems to be new to a lot of people

 

[rumpole]

Re: Trans Pacicfic Partnership - Threat to Democracy ?

Sovereignty and democracy are allays issues with these big treaty's, lots of people still carry on about the EU.

If a government is going to sign away the rights of future governments to legislate on items of national importance, a referendum would seem to be compulsory.

 

[rumpole]

Re: Trans Pacicfic Partnership - Threat to Democracy ?

from the Dept of Trade site quoted by so_cynical

Australia's decision to participate in the TPP in 2008 followed an extensive public consultation process. Overall, there was widespread interest in and support for Australia's participation in the TPP. Input received through the consultation process is being used to inform the Government's priorities and objectives for Australia's ongoing work on the TPP.

"Extensive public consultation process" ? What ?

The fact that so few appear to have heard of the TPP exposes that statement as a falsehood. How many others are there I wonder ?

 

[So_Cynical]

Re: Trans Pacicfic Partnership - Threat to Democracy ?

If a government is going to sign away the rights of future governments to legislate on items of national importance, a referendum would seem to be compulsory.

Referendums have a horrible habit of failing, as in the general public don't seem to like change.

 

[sptrawler]

Re: Trans Pacicfic Partnership - Threat to Democracy ?

I'm sure you two will work it out on the forum.

Shame you couldn't even convince people to vote Labor at the election.lol

It would have saved millions of jobs.

 

[rumpole]

Re: Trans Pacicfic Partnership - Threat to Democracy ?

I'm sure you two will work it out on the forum.

Shame you couldn't even convince people to vote Labor at the election.lol

It would have saved millions of jobs.

Oh dear, politics again, how sad.



When politicians don't tell us about things that could affect our rights I get very suspicious.

Don't you ?

 

[sptrawler]

Re: Trans Pacicfic Partnership - Threat to Democracy ?

Oh dear, politics again, how sad.



When politicians don't tell us about things that could affect our rights I get very suspicious.

Don't you ?

I just find you two bouncing of each other a bit sad, don't you.

Maybe you should tone it down a bit and let everyone get on your page.

If they can find it.

Try reading back through the thread, in the third person.
It sounds like an episode of the "big bang theory"
Entertaining, but sounds scripted, like your sitting next to each other.

 

[sails]

Re: Trans Pacicfic Partnership - Threat to Democracy ?

Oh dear, politics again, how sad.



When politicians don't tell us about things that could affect our rights I get very suspicious.

Don't you ?

Isn't the Canberra times Fairfax? I am more suspicious that it might not even be completely true...

 

[rumpole]

Re: Trans Pacicfic Partnership - Threat to Democracy ?

I just find you two bouncing of each other a bit sad, don't you.

Maybe you should tone it down a bit and let everyone get on your page.

If they can find it.

Try reading back through the thread, in the third person.
It sounds like an episode of the "big bang theory"
Entertaining, but sounds scripted, like your sitting next to each other.

Your reasoning is very obscure. Who are the "two" you are talking about ?

Tone what down ? I don't think I've said anything outrageous, I'm simply asking that the facts of this treaty be publicly discussed and all the implications actually told to the public instead of being decided behind closed doors.

I'm not sitting next to anyone else.

"Big bang theory" ? Don't know what you're on about.

 

[rumpole]

Trans Pacific Partnership may threaten reductions in medicine prices.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-...g-crusade-ignores-vital-health-report/5289726