FREE TRADE – GOVERNMENT POLICY – AUSTRALIA

Obama optimistic about TPP but signs not good

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 23-Sep-16

US President Barack Obama is confident that Congress will ratify the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement later in 2016, but his optimism is not warranted. He spoke about the TPP with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on 22 September 2016. Turnbull believes that the TPP will stimulate economic growth and ensure political stability in the region.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, REPUBLICAN PARTY (UNITED STATES), DEMOCRATIC PARTY (UNITED STATES)

PM to push US over TPP

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 19-Sep-16

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will address the United Nations General Assembly in New York on 22 September 2016. He will also use the trip to seek US support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, and he is hopeful that it can be ratified by the US before the new president takes office in January 2017. The TPP is opposed by both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Turnbull has stressed the "strategic importance" of the TPP in the South-east Asia region.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, UNITED NATIONS. GENERAL ASSEMBLY, TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, REPUBLICAN PARTY (UNITED STATES), DEMOCRATIC PARTY (UNITED STATES), ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH-EAST ASIAN NATIONS, UNITED STATES. DEPT OF DEFENSE

Plea for senators to back trade

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Original article by Annabel Hepworth
The Australian – Page: 17 & 20 : 11-Jul-16

Trade deals such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership are likely to attract greater scrutiny in federal parliament following the 2016 election, with some crossbenchers expressing concern about such agreements. However, BHP Billiton CEO Andrew Mackenzie has urged the Senate to support trade deals, arguing that they have a wide range of benefits. Whitehaven Coal chairman and former National Party leader Mark Vaile has also stressed the importance of free trade agreements.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, WHITEHAVEN COAL LIMITED – ASX WHC, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, ONE NATION PARTY, MALLESONS STEPHEN JAQUES, BUSINESS 20 (B20), CORRS CHAMBERS WESTGARTH, INTERNATIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, MONASH UNIVERSITY. APEC STUDY CENTRE, VIRGIN AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX VAH, HOST-PLUS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION, GROUP OF TWENTY (G-20)

Union bid to torpedo China FTA

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 8-Jun-16

The Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union and the Electrical Trades Union have launched an advertising campaign that aims to put free trade agreements on the election agenda. The trade deal with China is being targeted by the unions, which want the Australian Labor Party to reconsider its support for the deal if it wins the 2016 election. Meanwhile, Labor has indicated that it will seek to remove so-called "investor state dispute settlement" provisions from Australia’s trade deals with China, Japan and South Korea.

CORPORATES
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, ELECTRICAL TRADES UNION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD, MIGRATION COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE

China deal driving jobs and growth: Ciobo

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Original article by Rowan Callick
The Australian – Page: 2 : 2-May-16

Australia’s Trade and Investment Minister, Steve Ciobo, says local businesses of all sizes have benefited from the free trade agreement with China, which took effect in late December 2015. He notes that the downturn in commodity prices reduced the total value of exports to China in the March 2016 quarter, although this was offset by a rise in non-resources exports. Products that recorded strong growth in export volumes during the quarter include bottled wine, fresh fruit and seafood.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

India trade deal closer: Robb

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Original article by Greg Bearup
The Australian – Page: 2 : 8-Apr-16

Australia’s former trade minister Andrew Robb is optimistic that the key elements of a trade deal with India can be agreed upon within eight weeks. Robb has described the trade negotiations with India as the most difficult he been experienced since taking up the trade portfolio. He adds that a trade agreement will generate business opportunities for Australian companies in a range of sectors. Robb has continued to be involved in the negotiations since resigning as trade minister.

CORPORATES
INDIA. MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

Ciobo chases HK, Taiwan FTAs

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Original article by Rowan Callick
The Australian – Page: 2 : 7-Mar-16

Trade and Investment Minister Steve Ciobo says the Australian Government is keen to secure more free trade agreements with Asian countries. They include Taiwan and Hong Kong, which are Australia’s eighth and 15th-largest export markets respectively. Ciobo also says predecessor Andrew Robb will continue to hold talks with India regarding an FTA, after negotiations stalled in 2015. Robb concluded FTA deals with China, Japan and South Korea during his tenure as trade minister.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, HONG KONG ECONOMIC AND TRADE OFFICE

Breakthrough on Indonesia trade deal talks

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Original article by Greg Earl
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 18-Nov-15

Australia’s Trade Minister Andrew Robb has indicated that negotiations over a bilateral trade agreement with Indonesia will resume in early 2016. Robb aims to finalise a trade deal with Indonesia within 12 months, which is the time-frame used in negotiating free trade agreements with other nations. Australia and Indonesia formally commenced negotiations for a Closer Economic Partnership Agreement in September 2012, but the process stalled in 2013.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, INDONESIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY AND TRADE, ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP

Labor to pass China FTA despite unions

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 14-Oct-15

The Australian Government is expected to agree to some minor changes to the free trade agreement with China that have been endorsed by the Opposition’s caucus. The three amendments to the Migration Act relate to foreign workers who are hired on 457 visas. The trade deal is now expected to be passed by Parliament within weeks, allowing it to come into effect by the end of 2015. However, ACTU president Ged Kearney says the protection of Australian jobs is still a concern.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ACTU, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF IMMIGRATION AND BORDER PROTECTION

Labor wins free trade concessions

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 13-Oct-15

The Australian Labor Party will release its proposed legislative changes to protect Australian jobs on 12 October 2015. The Federal Government is reportedly willing to agree to amend the Migration Act in order to ensure the passage of the China-Australia free trade agreement through Parliament. The matter was discussed by Trade Minister Andrew Robb and his Opposition counterpart, Penny Wong.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY