STOP MAI |
Authorised
by the STOP-MAI Campaign Coalition (WA) Affiliated
with the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network
(AFTInet) |
| STOP MAI |
Authorised
by the STOP-MAI Campaign Coalition (WA) Affiliated
with the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network
(AFTInet) |
FARMERS, UNIONS, GREENS UNITE AGAINST GLOBAL PACT
In a movement reminiscent of 1987 opposition to the Australia Card, a non-party public coalition is opposing Australian participation in the controversial treaty, the Multilateral Agreement on Investment ( MAI) negotiated by the 29-member OECD.
The STOP-MAI group has been joined by trade unions, the Rural Action Movement, academics and activists for environmental protection, human rights and democracy.
The coalition will hold its first public meeting in Fremantle on 21st April (7.00 pm at the Victoria Hall, 179 High Street).
Speakers will include TLC Secretary Tony Cooke, Senator Dee Margetts, the President of the WA Rural Action Movement, Mal Taylor and sociologist Dr Rob Lambert of the University of Western Australia’s School of Organisation and Labour Studies.
"Our unanimous opinion is that the treaty is a thoroughly bad idea. It is a threat to democracy and would give multinational corporations the power to overcome present laws restricting their operations," STOP-MAI spokeswoman Jean Jenkins said today.
"The MAI would also bind future governments for at least 20 years, and has drawn fire from public organisations and provincial governments in many countries including the U.K., U.S.A., Canada, France and New Zealand," Mrs Jenkins said.
The dangers of the MAI were first brought to public notice by a group of lawyers around U.S. consumer advocate Ralph Nader. The ABC’s excellent radio and TV coverage since November 1997 had alerted and greatly alarmed many Australians.
"Parts of the pact would allow companies to sue governments for loss-of-profit compensation and to seek taxpayer subsidies equal to those made to Australian bodies.
"The idea that a company could take a government to court without a reciprocal right of action by governments for damages against multinationals is absurd," Jean Jenkins said.
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PHONE CONTACTS: Brian Jenkins +61 8 9528 1864; Dion Giles 0411 745 538