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) |
Trade Minister spurns advice of peak bodies
Australia's Trade Minister, Mark Vaile, has angered peak organisations representing millions of Australians by excluding them from a delegation to this month's controversial World Trade Organisation (WTO) summit in Seattle.
The affected bodies are:
- Australian Council of Trade Unions
- Australian Conservation Foundation
- Australian Council of Social Service
- Australian Council for Overseas Aid
- Greenpeace Australia
- World Wide Fund for Nature
In contrast, many Western nations are including such advisors in their delegations, following a new WTO policy to involve civil society in trade deliberations.
ACF's Anna Reynolds, said in a joint statement "Our groups expressed their willingness to be part of the Australian Government delegation to the Seattle (November 30 -December 3). Trade Minister, Mark Vaile has rejected the offer.
"The groups are not asking for taxpayers funds to pay for their travel costs. They are offering free advice to the Government on the implications of trade liberalisation agreements for the environment, for jobs and for low-income battlers in Australia and overseas in poor countries.
"The Minister has invited eight industry and business groups to be part of the delegation.
The Government will therefore receive advice that is skewed to the big end of town, which will exclude the aspirations, and interests of many Australians. This is one-sided policymaking and the groups believe this will mean that Australia's trade and economic policies will not reflect the broader national interest," Anna Reynolds said.The rejection does not reflect the spirit of the Government's treaty making policy, which states,
'The Government will help & ensure that by the time Australia enters into a treaty there will have been the fullest possible opportunity for all Australians with an interest to participate in the consultation process.'Contacts: Anna Reynolds ACF 0419 547 217; Doug Cameron ACTU 0418 468 147; Jim Redden ACFOA 0414 257 446; Michael Rae WWF 03 9853 7244; Michael Raper ACOSS 0419 626 155; Brett Parris WVA 03 9287 2383; Shane Rattenbury Greenpeace 0412 485 975
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PHONE CONTACTS: Brian Jenkins +61 8 9528 1864; Dion Giles 0411 745 538