Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Havachat: Free, fair or foolish? The Australian-US FTA - Day 3

By Doug Cameron and Alan Oxley - posted Wednesday, 28 May 2003


Doug

From: Alan Oxley
Sent: Monday, May 27, 2003 17:30
To: Doug Cameron
Subject: Benefits to developing economies

Doug,

I am glad you have reverted to the question of the global benefit of free trade and open markets. You express the classic view of the anti-globalisation movement: "Social and community rights" are more important than growth based on market economies, and free trade.

Advertisement

You assert that opposition to an FTA from civil society is growing in Australia. As far as I can see, those who oppose free trade are those who have opposed the FTA. It's yourself, Sharan Burrows, Malcolm Fraser, the Socialist Workers Party, Oxfam, Pat Ranald's small network of community groups, and the Greens of course. You were all there on day one and are still there.

You all had a chance to show how much public support you had when the WTO Ministerial meeting was held in Sydney last October. The rally in Hyde Park mustered about 500 - at least half were there to protest refugee policy. The media for the week was dominated with discussion about free-trade issues, and clearly the public were unconvinced by the case against. There is a very good reason why this should be: that case is heartless and selfish.

The civil society groups you refer to have the arrogance to claim they represent the interests of the world's poor. They do not.

Bahrun Mitra, the Head of the NGO Liberty Institute in New Delhi came to Sydney for the meeting and observed that none of the groups he saw on the streets in Sydney were known or active in India. Like you, they argue that poor countries must not have free trade, that the WTO must be changed so trade can be used as an instrument to force their social standards on developing countries.

You call it "Fair" trade. That is classic double speak. It was coined by US unions to block imports from poor countries, particularly garments, on the grounds it was not "fair" that garment workers in India or Bangladesh were not paid the same as US garment workers.

I was at the Doha WTO meeting late in 2001. As it wrapped up, Greenpeace, Oxfam, etc were telling the media the world's poor had been sold out, while the governments of the world's poor were inside celebrating the beginning of a negotiation to reduce global trade barriers.

Advertisement

This free-trade agreement will advance the case for giving countries the chance to lift themselves out of poverty. Growth is stalled in much of Asia and Latin America. The former communist countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, lead by Russia, all want to use free trade to lift standards of living. It is why they are queueing to join the WTO.

Prospects are bleak for the WTO negotiations because Jacques Chirac refuses to allow the EU to consider opening Europe's markets for agriculture. A free-trade agreement between Australia and the US that demonstrates how countries can work together to remove impediments to economic activity will serve to show others what can be done.

You make a deal of the question of scrutiny and transparency. Of course any agreement must be seen and judged for what it does. Those who complain that it is being done in secret are exaggerating the point. My experience with government is never to wait for them to get around to telling you. Go and find out yourself. We do. It works.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. Page 3
  5. 4
  6. All


Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Authors

Doug Cameron is National Secretary of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union.

Alan Oxley is the former ambassador to the General Agreement on Trades and Tariffs and Chairman of the Australian APEC Studies Centre.

Other articles by these Authors

All articles by Doug Cameron
All articles by Alan Oxley
Related Links
Australian Manufacturing Workers Union
Australia-US Trade Agreement home page
Dept of Foreign Affairs and Trade resources
Download the findings (Word doc, 319kb)
www.worldgrowth.org
Article Tools
Comment Comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy