Australian Council of Trade
Unions MEDIA RELEASE
TRADE JUSTICE FOR PACIFIC
ISLAND NATIONS
Pressure
is on to speed up the PACER-Plus negotiations between Australia, NZ and 14
Pacific Island Countries. This is another in a line of secret trade
agreements that promote the rights of corporations over people.
AFTINET, Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA, ACTU and Pacific Network for Globalisation
(PANG), are holding a rally to coincide with the latest round of talks in
Melbourne to call for trade justice for Pacific Islanders.
WHEN: 12:00 noon, Wednesday
7th October
WHERE: Outside the Hotel Grand Chancellor, 131 Lonsdale St, Melbourne
WHERE: Outside the Hotel Grand Chancellor, 131 Lonsdale St, Melbourne
The PACER+ agreement will
disproportionately affect Pacific Island nations. It will:
·
Give unprecedented rights to corporations
Pacific
governments will face restrictions on their regulation of foreign businesses.
They will not be able to regulate to keep prices low, or ensure that services
are available to everyone in the community.
·
Undermine access to essential services
PACER+
will require Pacific countries to ‘list’ service sectors (including health,
education, and water), allowing Australian and NZ companies to compete to
provide these services in the Pacific. This will undermine access to services
(especially for vulnerable people, like the unemployed or the rural poor)
·
Lead to a loss in public services like
health and education
PACER+
is calling on Pacific nations to drop tariffs on imported goods. This will
result in a significant loss of government revenue – up to 19% in Tonga, 18% in
Vanuatu, and 12% in Samoa. This loss in revenue is more than their total health
or education budgets.
·
Lead to business closures and job losses
Remoteness,
small economies of scale and lack of human resources make it difficult for
Pacific businesses to engage in global markets. Opening Pacific markets up to
Australian and New Zealand corporations may wipe out Pacific businesses due
difficulties in competing with their cheaper prices.
·
Will not lead to more investment in
Pacific Countries
There
is no credible evidence that links the signing of free trade agreements with
the increase of foreign investment. Under PACER-Plus the Pacific will be unable
to ensure that the maximum benefits of investment are passed on by requiring
local content or standards of employment.
Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA,
AFTINET, PANG, the ACTU are calling for:
·
The
immediate suspension of the PACER-Plus negotiations until there has been
informed, comprehensive dialogue with civil society to ascertain whether there
is a popular mandate for such negotiations;
·
The
immediate release of all negotiating texts to allow full, comprehensive and
informed input from civil society;
·
Following
the release of the texts a properly funded social, cultural, environmental and
human rights impact assessment be undertaken to determine the impacts of any
proposed outcome.
·
Respect
for the rights of Pacific workers and ensuring that Pacific communities can
determine their own economic future.
Quotes
attributable to:
The threat of
rising sea levels from climate change is more urgent than a free trade
agreement, and Australia should heed the calls of Pacific Islanders to take a
lead in reducing carbon emissions.
Pat Ranald, AFTINET
Australia and New Zealand have a great deal of influence in the
region because of their much greater size, wealth and position as aid donors.
We are concerned that any agreement will suit the interests of Australia and
New Zealand at the expense of the Pacific Island countries. Any agreement must
ensure Pacific-centred development that ensures rights for workers, protection
of the environment and culture, and respect for human rights.
Kate Lee, Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA
We have supported the Seasonal Worker Program because it is a
well-regulated program where the workers that come to Australia have to be
employed appropriately, they have to be paid appropriate wages, and they have
to have an understanding of their rights. We would like to see that the PACER
Plus negotiations continue that situation. We don’t want a lessening of the
regulation around the program, to ensure that those workers who come here are
not going to be subject to exploitation when they arrive.
Ged
Kearney, ACTU
Media contact:
Pat Ranald, AFTINET – 0419 695
841
Kate Lee, Union Aid Abroad –
APHEDA – 0420 293 083