A US FTA threatens Australia’a environment
This morning the Australia – US Free Trade Agreement was passed by the US senate. It now only needs George Bush’s signature to be fully endorsed there. Here in Australia the deal still needs to be passed in the senate, but it would be an incredibly brave Mark Latham to try and stand in its way. We have heard a lot about sugar farmers, the manufacturing industry and the price of medicines but what effect will the FTA have on Australia’s fragile environment? Michael Cebon has been looking into this on behalf of the Melbourne think-tank Oz Prospect and he is very afraid about the powers American companies will have to challenge Australia’s environmental regulations. He also fears that because of the difference in size of the two economies, the USA could ignore any Australian sanctions but Australia could not possibly ignore sanctions that the USA placed on it.
No USA – Australia FTA website