Global Trade Watch

The Australia-US Free Trade Agreement in the Media

July - September 2004

29 September, 2004, Canberra Times, "Non-Violation Nullification of Benefits: A Looming Crisis for the PBS", By Thomas Faunce & Buddhima Lokuge

Hidden at the back of the 1000 page Australia-US FTA is a strange Article, numbered 21.2(c). Usually, in a legal document such as a treaty, dispute proceedings only arise if a party has breached a formal obligation in the text. This unusual provision changes all that. It is called a "non-violation nullification or impairment of benefits" clause. It is one of the most contentious and despised provisions in international trade law, symbolizing for many the extent to which the World Trade Organisation ("WTO") disputes process has been captured by corporate multinationals. Read the full text here.

September 29 2004, Australian Financial Review, "Elections hide growing US anger on FTA", By Brendan Pearson

Australia's landmark free-trade agreement with the United States may not be an election issue, but the pact is still far from a done deal. The American copyright sector is furious with Canberra's implementation of the deal's anti-piracy measures on copyright. Relations between the two governments are tense, according to one US source, who adds that Australia's legislation fails to accurately reflect the deal signed by the two countries' trade ministers in February. The American pharmaceutical industry is also angry at the last-minute patent-related amendments that Labor leader Mark Latham insisted on and Prime Minister John Howard grudgingly agreed to. Read the full text here.

26 August 2004, Australian Financial Review, "Labor must stand firm on FTA", By John Quiggin

It’s apparent that the FTA and the PBS are in mortal conflict. In the long run, only one of the two can survive. But even without the threat to the PBS, the agreement was a bad one for Australia. If the Bush administration refuses to certify the amended legislation, Labor should announce its intention to renegotiate the entire deal, this time on more equal terms. Read the full text here.

August 21, 2004, The Australian, "Subtle bars to free trade", By Christopher Pearson

It would be ironic if Mark Latham's improved position in recent polls were due to his amendments to the free trade agreement's enabling legislation. For, far from enhancing the protection of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, Latham's manoeuvres may well have weakened it and will at best have no effect on the prices that consumers pay. Read the full text here.

13 August 2004, ABC TV: Lateline, "PM says FTA is fantastic for Aust", Reporter: Craig McMurtrie

After days of wrangling, the free trade agreement with the US has finally passed through federal Parliament. Despite his misgivings over Labor's amendments, the Prime Minister has described it as a fantastic outcome. Opposition Leader Mark Latham has also claimed victory. And the minor parties and independents went down fighting. Read the full text here.

13 August, 2004, ABC Radio National: AM, "US may not approve revised FTA", Reporter: Leigh Sales

While the Australian Parliament has agreed to sign off on the last minute amendments to the United States Free Trade Agreement, there's no guarantee that the American legislators will accept the changes. In Washington overnight, the US Trade Representative has issued a statement, saying the US reserves all its right on this deal, and has never expressed acceptance of the proposed Australian legislation or amendments. Read the full text here.

August 12, 2004, AAP, "Latham stands firm on FTA"

Opposition Leader Mark Latham today vowed to stand firm on Labor's amendments to the Australia-US free trade agreement (FTA) legislation. Mr Latham told reporters the opposition would not budge on its insistence that the government accept its proposal aimed at stopping drug companies from seeking unnecessary patents in order to keep cheap generic drugs off the market. Read the full text here.

August 12, 2004, AAP, "Howard backs down on trade stand-off"

The government will support Labor's amendments to the free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States despite concerns about the impact of the changes, Prime Minister John Howard said today. Read the full text here.

August 12, 2004, AAP, "PM agrees, but disagrees on trade deal"

The free trade deal with the United States is set to overcome its last obstacle in parliament after the government today reluctantly accepted Labor's amendments on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). Prime Minister John Howard said the government would pass the ALP's amendments, but says they were not needed and could put the trade deal at risk. Read the full text here.

August 12, 2004, AAP, "PM opposes trade deal changes, but says yes"

In his second press conference today, Prime Minister John Howard sought to explain why he didn't want to back Labor's amendments to the US free trade deal, but would anyway. Read the full text here.

August 12, 2004, AAP, "US officials say amendments won't harm deal: ALP"

US officials the opposition has spoken to during the past 24 hours had not indicated to the free trade deal could jeopardise the FTA, Labor said today. Prime Minister John Howard should face up to the truth and accept that the amendments were right, Opposition Leader Mark Latham said. Read the full text here.

12 August 2004, Australian Policy Online, "A panicky PM", By Peter Browne

With the benefits of the FTA highly arguable and its shortcomings clear, there was never much evidence to suggest that Labor will have suffer if it had refused a government compromise. The government announcement oday that it would accept the amendments could be the final proof. Read the full text here.

12 August 2004, Australian Policy Online, "How Labor ignored the patent threat", By Mike Willis

The extraordinary debate over the potential impact of the Australia–US Free Trade Agreement triggered by Labor’s proposed legislative amendments has underscored the ironies that surrounded the negotiations from the start. This is hardly surprising given that gullibility, political expediency and a determined campaign to subdue voices critical of the FTA have all featured in the debate so far. Read the full text here.

August 12, 2004, The Age, "How the FTA will stunt industrial growth", By Kenneth Davidson.

It might be more accurate to describe the deal between the Howard Government and the Bush Administration as a bloodless coup rather than a free trade agreement. The agreement involves a voluntary surrendering of a large chunk of Australia's national sovereignty in policy areas such as investment, intellectual property rights, services and government procurement, for very little return. Read the full text here.

August 11, 2004, The Age, "Just what are we giving away?", By Ross Gittins

America wants control of intellectual property - and we're prepared to hand it over. Read the full text here.

10 August 2004, ABC Radio National: Media Report, "Politics, Patent Law and the PBS"

Does the FTA really put at risk our Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme? And if so, does the ALP's proposed amendment offer a watertight solution? Read the transcript here.

10 August, 2004, ABC Radio National: The World Today, "Drug companies will find way around FTA amendments: expert", Reporter: Alison Caldwell

Kevin Outterson is Associate Professor of Law at West Virginia University, and he's been telling Alison Caldwell that the big pharmaceutical companies will find a way around the legislation, possibly by challenging it at the outset. Read the full transcript here.

August 9, 2004, Sydney Morning Herald, "FTA: bad politics drives out good economics", By Ross Gittins

It's doubtful that the deal's modest benefits exceed its costs and risks, particularly in the area business people and the political pundits either don't understand or don't care about but is now being highlighted by Mr Latham's tactics: intellectual property protection. Read the full text here.

August 9, 2004, The Age, "Labor targets US drug companies", By Tim Colebatch

Labor has accused US pharmaceutical companies of trying to destroy the pharmaceutical benefits scheme, on the eve of announcing multimillion-dollar penalties for companies that abuse the legal process to block competitors. Read the full text here.

August 9, 2004, AAP, "Labor solid on FTA amendments"

The ALP would stand rock solid behind its amendments to the United States free trade agreement if the government failed to put up its own, Opposition Leader Mark Latham said today. Mr Latham said the government had not put up any proposals to amend laws bringing the trade deal into operation that would protect against higher priced medicines. Read the full text here.

August 9, 2004, ABC News, "FTA amendments introduced into Senate"

The Federal Opposition's amendments to the Australia, United States free trade agreement have been introduced into the Senate. The Opposition Leader says drug companies will face fines of up to $10 million if they use legal action to unreasonably delay the release of cheaper generic medicines. Read the full text here.

9 August, 2004, ABC Radio National: PM, "Drug companies could face $10m fines under Labor amendment", By Reporter: Alexandra Kirk

Mark Latham has unveiled Labor's keenly-awaited changes to make multinational drug companies pay if they lodge spurious court claims to delay the introduction of cheaper generic medicines. Read the transcript here.

9 August, 2004, ABC Radio National: PM, "Labor amendments won't stop ever-greening, says expert", Reporter: Alexandra Kirk

Professor of Law at the Australian National University, Peter Drahos – an expert on intellectual property – says that at first blush he gives Labor maximum points for trying to do the right thing, but isn't yet convinced that it offers 100 per cent protection against the problem of patent ever-greening. Read the full text.

August 9, 2004, Courier-Mail, "Drugs 'safe' in trade deal"

The free trade agreement between the US and Australia would not threaten Australia's ability to access generic drugs, according to pharmaceuticals maker and distributor Sigma. Read the full text here.

August 9, 2004, Herald Sun, "Labor warning to drug companies", By Jason Frenkel

Multinational drug companies caught rorting the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme risk multi-million dollar fines under Labor's free trade amendment. Read the full text here.

August 8, 2004, ABC News, "Labor plans million dollar fines in FTA amendment"

The Federal Opposition says its proposed amendment to the free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States will include penalties of tens of millions of dollars for anti-competitive behaviour by international drug companies. Read the full text here.

August 8, 2004, ABC News, "Democrats won't back Labor's trade amendment"

The Australian Democrats say they will not support Labor's proposed amendment to the free trade agreement designed to protect the price of cheap medicine under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. The Democrats Health spokesperson, Senator Lynn Allison, says the PBS should not be part of the trade agreement and all references to it should be removed from the Bill. Read the full text here.

August 8, 2004, Herald-Sun, "Vic boost in trade deal", By Lincoln Wright

Australia's free trade deal with the US is expected to create up to 7500 jobs and an additional $1.6 billion a year in new wealth for Victorians. But economists are divided over the benefits of the deal, due to begin on New Year's Day next year, if the Senate approves it. Read the full text here.

August 8, 2004, The Sunday Age, "Patently, my dear, they don't give a damn", By Terry Lane

The poor deluded Spouse thinks that what Labor does in the Senate in modifying enabling legislation for the free trade agreement has some significance. "It is all posturing, my love. It means nothing. Once the FTA is a done deal the enabling legislation is irrelevant. All that matters is what is in the text of the agreement. And the agreement says that in this best of all possible free trade deals, the US will be free to sell us anything it wants and free not to buy from us anything that is domestically, politically inconvenient." Read the full text here.

August 8, 2004, The Age, "Union vows Labor will pay for trade deal", By Phillip Hudson

Labor's support for the American free trade agreement will cost the party about $100,000 in union donations - a blow on the eve of the federal election campaign. The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union's executive council will meet this week to consider a recommendation from its national secretary Doug Cameron not to give the money to the ALP's head office. Read the full text here.

August 8, 2004, The Age, "How to protect the PBS from dodgy patents", By David Brennan.

The position adopted by federal Labor on the US-Australia free trade agreement is: "Labor will fight for amendments to protect the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme by preventing and penalising drug companies that try to stop cheaper generic drugs coming on to the market." The Howard Government rejects this position as "unnecessary", based on a "misunderstanding of the patent law in this country", and harming "the operation of the existing intellectual property law". This leads public debate to the murky intersection of patent law and pharmaceutical regulatory approval. Let me suggest a way through. Read the full text here.

August 7, 2004, The Age, "The awful truth about evergreening", By Dr Thomas Faunce.

The evergreening article was a central objective of the US pharmaceutical companies in the FTA negotiations. Labor's proposed legislative penalty for evergreening is a lowest-common denominator solution. The US will willingly threaten cross-retaliation under the FTA in areas such as agriculture or manufacturing if it doesn't get what it wants in areas such as intellectual property. Read the full text here.

August 7, 2004, British Medical Journal, "Australia's free trade deal with US hangs in balance on drugs", By Bob Burton

The fate of a proposed free trade deal between Australia and the United States, signed in May 2004 and due to come into force in 2005, is hanging in the balance because of the impact it could have on Australia’s drugs bill. Read the full text here.

August 7, 2004, The Age, "Local shipbuilders told not to bother", By Ian Porter

One of Australia's great manufacturing successes, shipbuilding, never even got a look-in during the FTA process. Australia was told not even to bother raising the issue, said Incat managing director Craig Clifford yesterday. "I think that was made quite clear to us at the start," he said from Tasmania. Read the full text here.

August 7, 2004, The Age, "Furniture makers fear they may take a big hit", By Ian Porter

The US free trade agreement is getting a mixed response from manufacturers. Some Australian furniture makers may be forced to move their manufacturing overseas in lower-cost countries such as China to compete with cheaper imports. Read the full text here.

August 7, 2004, The Age, "Long time before wine growers taste rewards", By Leon Gettler

Although tariffs on Australian wine are set to be removed, the response of the Australian wine sector to the free trade agreement has been underwhelming. Officially, it's given in principle support for a deal that won't have most of the benefits flowing through until 2015 when the tariffs are gone, but it's done that without much enthusiasm. Read the full text here.

August 7, 2004, The Age, "Milking the free trade deal for all it's worth", By Malcolm Maiden

On a broad level, the effects of the US-Australia free trade agreement for Business will be muted. Read the full text here.

August 7, 2004, Sydney Morning Herald, Always read the labels carefully", By Alan Ramsey

A summary of some issues in the FTA. Read the full text here.

August 7, 2004, The Age, "Latham evades the sharks", By Shaun Carney

To say that there is a natural, monolithic Labor view about the FTA is plain wrong. Read the full text here.

August 6, 2004, The Age, "Software groups warn of FTA dangers"

The US-Australia Free Trade Agreement poses a grave threat to the entire Australian software development industry due to the legal framework on intellectual property which is required upon adoption of the pact, the Open Source Industry Association and Linux Australia have warned. Read the full text here.

6 August, 2004, ABC TV: Lateline, "Renewed hope for Aust-US trade agreement", Reporter: Kim Landers

There's renewed hope the Australia-US free trade deal will be passed by Parliament next week. Ahead of a trip to Samoa for the Pacific Islands Forum, the PM indicated he's prepared to compromise. Read the full text here.

August 6, 2004, The Australian, "FTA amendments 'will get support'"

Opposition Leader Mark Latham believes the Government will be forced to support Labor amendments to the US free trade agreement. Mr Latham, set to introduce into parliament on Monday the proposed amendments, said Prime Minister John Howard was again ready to follow Labor's lead on important pieces of legislation. Read the full text here.

August 6, 2004, AAP, "A deal will be political: Democrats"

The final deal between Labor and the government on the United States free trade agreement would be a political decision rather than in the public interest, the Australian Democrats said.Democrats leader Andrew Bartlett said the debate was a red herring, as there were many other flaws in the FTA that required scrutiny. "Both of them are fighting over something that is a red herring and allowing diversion of attention away from other problems," he said. Read the full text here.

August 6, 2004, Australian Financial Review, "Howard gives ground to salvage FTA", By Mark Davis

Prime Minister John Howard began laying the groundwork yesterday for a compromise over medicines so Labor would pass laws supporting the free-trade agreement with the United States. Mr Howard told parliament that Opposition Leader Mark Latham had significantly softened his own position on how Labor would outlaw the use of spurious drug patents to stop cheaper generic drugs from being marketed in Australia. Read the full text here.

August 6, 2004, AAP, "Show us your FTA amendment, PM tells ALP"

Prime Minister John Howard challenged Labor to produce its proposed trade agreement amendment. Mr Howard said the government would consider any proposal as long as it would not damage Australian patent law. Speaking shortly before boarding an aircraft bound for the Pacific Islands Forum in Western Samoa on Friday morning, Mr Howard said the government still believed there was no further need to change the free trade agreement legislation. Read the full text here.

August 5, 2004, The Age, "How we are losing the export race", By Kenneth Davidson

The FTA will inhibit Australia's ability to export more than just raw materials and farm produce. Read the full text here.

August 5, 2004, Australian Financial Review, "Evergreen dilemma: law blind to patent's purpose", By Andrew Christie and Sally Pryor

Labor's amendment of the free-trade agreement to penalise drug companies for lodging "dodgy" patent claims is a good one in theory, but impossible in practice. Read the full text here.

August 5, 2004, The Age, "The 'great deal' for the nation", By Michelle Grattan

After months of intense debate about the US free trade agreement, the Government and Labor have come to agree on one thing. It should be passed. But just now, pre-election politicking is stopping it happening. No wonder voters get really cynical about politicians when they talk about the national interest, but think more about their own interest. Read the full text here.

August 5, 2004, Australian, "Business urges PM to buckle to Latham's trade demands", By Steve Lewis,

Australia's most influential business group has directly called on John Howard to pass the US free trade agreement - even if that means accepting Labor's amendment to protect the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Read the full text here.

August 5, 2004, Dow, "Signs government may bend on FTA"

Signs are emerging that the Australian government may be poised to step back from the political deadlock on the free-trade agreement with the United States. "Plainly the free-trade agreement is important to Australia. We want it up," Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson told reporters. Read the full text here.

August 5, 2004, The Age, "PM tries to break trade impasse", By Tim Colebatch, Michelle Grattan

The Government last night was considering a way to further safeguard cheaper generic drugs in order to break the impasse that is threatening the passage of the Australian-US free trade deal. Read the full text here.

August 5, 2004, The Age, "Jury out on PBS clause", By David Wroe

Experts fear the free trade agreement could push up the cost of drugs by delaying the entry of cheap generic medicines to the market, but also believe Labor's solution may be unworkable. Australian National University law professor Peter Drahos was scathing of Labor's proposal to introduce penalties. "If that's what they are proposing, it's a joke. It's window dressing," he said. Read the full text here.

August 5, 2004, Australian Financial Review, "Labor may fine drug firms $40m", Mark Davis

Drug manufacturers may face fines of up to $40 million under a Labor plan to safeguard Australia's pharmaceutical benefits scheme against changes introduced under the free-trade agreement with the US. Opposition Leader Mark Latham won support for his proposal from state and territory Labor leaders and the Australian Medical Association. Read the full text here.

August 5, 2004, AAP, "Labor to detail FTA amendments next week"

Labor would release details of its amendments to the United States free-trade agreement next week, Opposition Leader Mark Latham said today. Mr Latham said Labor would introduce its two amendments, covering the amount of local content shown on TV and ensuring pharmaceutical prices stayed low, in the Senate next week. Read the full text here.

5 August, 2004, ABC Radio National: PM, "Another day of FTA brinkmanship", Reporter: Catherine McGrath

Another day of brinkmanship on the Free Trade Agreement. A day when backbenchers hinted at a compromise, business urged one, and two senior ministers gave indications that a deal could be done, and the Prime Minister continued his tough public stance against Mark Latham's amendments. Read the full text here.

5 August, 2004, ABC Radio National: PM, "Howard missing the point over FTA and patent law: expert", Reporter: Alexandra Kirk

Dr Tom Faunce is a Senior Lecturer at the ANU's Medical School, who lectures in law. He's one of a group of ANU academics who've been intensively studying the FTA and its implications for the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme: "It's no good talking about what our laws are at the moment. The fact is, once you've got a trade agreement, the Americans will be able to pressure us by pressure of trade disputes to get what laws they want. They'll change our laws by pressuring us through trade. It doesn't matter what our laws are at the moment." Read the full text here.

5 August, 2004, ABC Radio National: PM, "Room for re-negotiation of FTA: legal expert", Reporter: Mark Colvin

Don Rothwell is Challis Professor of International Law and Director of the Centre for International and Global Law at Sydney University: "The Australian Parliament has no capacity to amend an international treaty, let alone the Free Trade Agreement. All the Parliament is really debating at the moment is of course the FTA enabling legislation which is perfectly within its right, but the treaty can only really be amended through negotiations, fresh negotiations between Australia and the United States. Read the full text here.

5 August, 2004, ABC Radio National: PM, "Pharmaceuticals industry missing in action in FTA debate", Reporter: Alison Caldwell

You may have noticed one glaring absence in the debate over the Free Trade Agreement, the voice of the pharmaceuticals industry itself. We've heard almost nothing on the record, for instance, from Medicines Australia, the group which represents all of the major pharmaceutical multinationals with offices here in this country, nor from the Generic Medicines Industry Association, the group which represents those who potentially have the most to lose under the FTA. Read the full text here.

August 5, 2004, New York Times, "Free Trade Debate in Australia", By JAMES BROOKE

In 1992, President Bush, the father, offered Australia a free trade pact. Prime Minister Paul Keating, a Labor Party leader, rejected the offer. On Tuesday, President Bush, the son, signed a free trade pact with Australia, saying at a White House ceremony: "The United States and Australia have never been closer." On Wednesday, Mark Latham, the Labor Party's current leader, vowed to block Australian Senate approval of the pact, threatening: "I'm not interested in political compromise." Read the full text here.

August 4, 2004, Australian Policy Online, "Why Labor shouldn’t budge on the FTA (and why it’s already gone too far)", By John Quiggin

The aim of this paper is to survey some of the main issues surrounding the FTA, including impacts on trade in goods and services, the distinction between trade agreements and economic integration agreements, and the role of intellectual property and its impact on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Read the full text here.

August 4, 2004, Sydney Morning Herald, "Even a trade-off agreement unlikely", By Alan Ramsey.

So now we have a stand-off. Mark Latham isn't giving John Howard what he wants, after all. Not unconditionally. All those headlines yesterday that took Labor's acquiescence for granted were wrong. If the Prime Minister wants his free trade agreement with George Bush before the election, he'll have to amend his legislation now stuck in the Senate. Howard insists he won't. He told the Parliament so immediately it met yesterday. Read the full text here.

August 4, 2004, ABC News, "Trade deal hits fresh hitch"

Federal Parliament appears headed for a deadlock on Australia's proposed free trade agreement (FTA) with the US. Labor announced today that it would support the FTA with two key amendments but the Government has tonight ruled out at least one of those. Read the full text here.

August 4, 2004, The Age, "Trade deal deadlocked on medicines", By Tim Colebatch, Michelle Grattan & Brendan Nicholson

John Howard and Mark Latham were locked in a stand-off last night over the US free trade agreement after the Opposition Leader said Labor would support the deal only with an amendment to outlaw rorting by pharmaceutical companies. Read the full text here.

August 4, 2004, AAP, "Fear of US-style health system: Beazley"

Many Australians were worried the health system could one day resemble that of the United States if the free trade agreement was adopted in its present form, Opposition frontbencher Kim Beazley said today. Labor wants the government to adopt its amendment to safeguard the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), while the government has so far ruled out any changes on patent laws to protect the PBS. Read the full text here.

August 4, 2004, The Age, "A question now of who will blink first", By Michelle Grattan.

Brilliant politics, or a crazy risk? Latham is trying to stare down Howard on the FTA. Read the full text here.

August 4, 2004, The Age, "Drug groups cool on Labor safeguards", By David Wroe

Labor's safeguard to stop drug firms thwarting competition from cheap generic medicines received a lukewarm reaction yesterday from the very industry it is designed to protect. The Generic Medicines Industry Association, while stopping short of dismissing Labor's plan, appeared satisfied the free trade agreement would not let drug firms delay generics coming onto the market. Read the full text here.

August 4, 2004, AAP, "Howard holds firm on PBS demand"

Prime Minister John Howard is holding firm against Opposition Leader Mark Latham's call for an amendment to the US free-trade agreement to protect the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Mr Howard said the amendment Mr Latham was seeking would unsettle intellectual property and patent laws in Australia and would turn the FTA from a good deal to a bad one. Read the full text here.

August 4, 2004, AAP, "PM under pressure from drug companies: Latham"

Prime Minister John Howard was under pressure from drug companies to oppose Labor's amendments to the free-trade agreement with the United States, Opposition Leader Mark Latham said today. Read the full text here.

August 4 2004, Medical News Today, "Australian Medical Association Supports ALP FTA PBS Conditions"

AMA (Australian Medical Association) Vice President, Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, today welcomed the decision of the Federal ALP caucus to support for the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US subject to legislative amendments to safeguard the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). Read the full text here.

August 4, 2004, The Age, "PM to consider legislation on local content", By Brendan Nicholson"

The Federal Government has signalled that it will go along with a Labor Party push to ensure local content on television does not drop below 55 per cent. Prime Minister John Howard said he would examine Labor's call for an amendment to legislation backing the free trade agreement to ensure local content on television did not drop. Read the full text here.

August 4, 2004, The Age, "Deadly FTA abyss found in areas to Latham's left", By Alan Kohler

The ALP's proposed amendments to the US free trade agreement might be about the touchstones of pharmaceuticals and TV content, but the really interesting debate is about manufacturing. Despite unanimous support for the FTA from manufacturing businesses, the most prominent and powerful opponent of it is the head of the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union, Doug Cameron. Why aren't the manufacturing companies behind him? Read the full text here.

August 4, 2004, Australian Financial Review, "Latham demands FTA safety net", By Mark Davis,

Opposition Leader Mark Latham last night vowed to block the US free-trade agreement legislation after the government refused to accept Labor changes aimed at ensuring the deal did not lead to higher prices for medicines. The government made concessions to Labor's demands for more protection for local television content, but Mr Latham said he was willing to fight the election over the price of generic drugs. Read the full text here.

4 August, 2004, ABC Radio National: PM, "Despite proposed amendments, PBS fears remain", Reporter: Catherine McGrath

Until a few days ago, "ever-greening" was a piece of jargon familiar only to a few dozen people in Australia. Now it's the buzzword of the moment and it could be a key issue in the coming Federal election. Ever-greening is the term in the pharmaceutical industry for what happens when a manufacturer keeps adding new, and sometimes spurious, patents to a product, when the existing patents run out. Read the full text here.

August 4, 2004, ABC Radio National: PM, "Expert says amendment not enough to stop ever-greening", Reporter: Mark Colvin

Basically it's come down to this – that one side is saying that if you go this way you will destroy the free trade agreement, the other side is saying if you go this way you will destroy the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. And it all hinges on this question of "ever-greening" and patents, a dry difficult subject for most people. Read the full text here.

August 4, 2004, The Australian, "Smart politics or recklessness?", By Paul Kelly

Mark Latham is mercurial, unpredictable and headstrong. He defied the orthodoxy yesterday by making his support for the Australia-US free trade agreement conditional on John Howard accepting some modest Labor changes. As a result, Latham turned the issue back on Howard. He said, in effect, that Howard could have his FTA but only if Howard gave Labor some concessions that Latham insists are matters of high principle and practical improvement. Read the full text here.

August 3, 2004, ABC TV: Lateline, "Labor's FTA support has strings attached", Reporter: Kim Landers

The free trade deal with the US is far from guaranteed, despite the Labor Party giving its support, albeit with some strings attached. Federal Cabinet reacted swiftly tonight to Labor's amendments, backing one, but shunning another. Read the full transcript here.

3 August , 2004, ABC Radio National: PM, "Labor attaches conditions to support for FTA", Reporter: Catherine McGrath

After weeks of taunting about alleged indecision on the FTA, the Labor Party has finally made its position clear. And while the Opposition leader Mark Latham has endorsed it, as the pundits had predicted, the endorsement is conditional. Read the full transcript here.

3 August , 2004, ABC Radio National: PM, "Bush to sign FTA tonight", Reporter: Alison Caldwell

Professor Peter Drahos is a lecturer in Law at the Australian National University who has studied the trade deal. He says that once the FTA is signed, in any future dispute, the new amendments will essentially be viewed as irrelevant and challenged every step of the way. Read the full transcript here.

August 3, 2004, ABC TV: Lateline, "No hint of compromise on trade deal"

The Australia-US free trade agreement seemed destined to pass through the Senate in this parliamentary session, all but neutralising it as an election issue. Now it's stalled on one last amendment demanded by Labor and rejected by the Government. As you'll hear, there's no hint of compromise tonight. Both sides appear determined to take the free trade agreement, unapproved and unsigned, all the way to an election if necessary. Read the full transcript here.

August 3, 2004, The Age, "The FTA that Latham has to have", By Michelle Grattan

Labor's decision to embrace the controversial US Free Trade Agreement came down to a very simple point - political necessity. Mark Latham began in January with his bolshie line "no sugar, no deal" and later flirted from time to time with saying "no" to the agreement, which needs Labor numbers to pass the Senate. But that would have been suicidal. Read the full text here.

August 3, 2004, AAP, "Latham firm on PBS protection"

Opposition Leader Mark Latham says he would fight a federal election on the United States free trade agreement (FTA) by demanding government protection of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). Mr Latham stared down the party's left in caucus on Tuesday, getting support for the deal but at the same time demanding better protection of the PBS and local content regulations for television and new media. Read the full text here.

3 August, 2004, ABC Radio National: PM, "Labor insists on FTA amendments", Reporter: Alexandra Kirk

Mr Vaile's opposite number, Labor Trade Spokesman Senator Stephen Conroy, says the Prime Minister could have the free trade agreement by the end of the week if he wanted it, but Senator Conroy says Labor is insisting on its amendments. Read the full transcript here.

3 August, 2004, ABC Radio National: PM, "Govt to look at local content amendments", Reporter: Catherine McGrath

The Government is prepared to consider the suggestions that have been made by the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, by the Labor Party, the Senate inquiry, with regard to local content rules on Australian free to air television. Read the full transcript here.

3 August, 2004, ABC Radio National: PM, "PM rules out Labor condition on PBS", Reporter: Mark Colvin

The Prime Minister's ruled out backing the Labor proposal for a safeguard on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Mr Howard says the Labor policy doesn't make sense and isn't necessary. Read the full transcript here.

August 3, 2004, AAP "More good than bad in US deal: Latham"

Opposition Leader Mark Latham said today the ALP had decided to support the proposed free trade agreement with the United States because its economic benefits outweighed the disadvantages. Labor parliamentarians voted two-thirds in favour of the deal after ALP members of a Senate committee yesterday found it was in Australia's best interests to sign, despite opposition from the party's Left faction. Read the full text here.

August 3, 2004, Sydney Morning Herald, "Latham's risky trade-off", By Mark Metherell, Louise Dodson and John Garnaut

Labor will confront a backlash today after it backs the Government on the free trade agreement with the United States, in the face of widespread opposition from within the party and warnings that it could be a vote-loser. Read the full text here.

August 2, 2004, Sydney Morning Herald, "Trade deal a free kick for US software racketeers", By Ross Gittins

One reason the free trade agreement with the United States is getting such an easy ride from Australia's business people and economists is that they know so little about intellectual property rights. It may well be that the most far-reaching and detrimental aspect of the deal is the way it obliges us to "harmonise" our patent, copyright and trademark protection with America's. Read the full text here.

August 2, ABC TV: Four Corners, "A Bitter Pill?", Reporter: Jonathan Holmes

This Four Corners program investigates the true cost to Australia's subsidised pharmaceutical scheme, under the US-Australia Free Trade Agreement. Read the full transcript here.

August 2, 2004, The Age, "Labor poised for FTA decision", By Michelle Grattan

Labor's shadow cabinet and caucus will meet tomorrow morning to put an end to the Opposition's prolonged and damaging internal debate over the US free trade agreement. The fast-tracking follows ALP senators on the Senate inquiry into the agreement deciding their position in a phone hook-up yesterday. Read the full text here.

August 2, 2004, AAP, "Senate inquiry backs trade deal"

A Senate inquiry will recommend that the ALP support the proposed Free Trade Agreement between Australia and the United States. Labor senators said today that there remained areas of concern with the FTA, but it was overwhelmingly in Australia's interest. Read the full text here.

August 2, 20044, ABC TV: Lateline, "Conroy says FTA in national interest", Reporter: Tony Jones

Earlier this year, Labor leader Mark Latham said he was against it. Now a Senate committee, which included three Labor senators, has backed the US-Australia FTA. Despite the unhappiness of Labor's parliamentary Left and some in the union movement, Caucus is expected to endorse the free trade agreement tomorrow. Read the full transcript here.

August 2, 20044, ABC TV: 7:30 Report, "Labor set to commit to FTA", Reporter: Michael Brissenden

It seems Mark Latham's Federal Labor is about to sign up to the contentious free trade agreement masterminded by Prime Minister John Howard and US President George W Bush. Mr Latham has resisted months of heavy pressure from the Government on the FTA, insisting he would wait until a Senate committee investigation of the agreement made its findings. But the three Labor members of that committee revealed today that they supported the FTA, albeit with 43 recommendations to improve the outcome, they say, and soften its negative impacts. Read the full transcript here.

2 August, 2004, ABC Radio National: PM, "Trade negotiator and unionist debate FTA decision"

There are strong views on both sides of the FTA debate, and I'm joined now by two people who have taken strong positions on either side. Alan Oxley is Managing Consultant of International Trade Strategies. He's also a former Australian trade negotiator and a long-term advocate of multinational free trade. Doug Cameron is National Secretary of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, and he has argued strongly that the FTA will damage Australian industry and Australian jobs. Read the full transcript here.

2 August, 2004, ABC Radio National: PM, "Senate Committee backs FTA overall", Reporter: Alexandra Kirk

The Federal Opposition looks set to decide to back the Australia – US free trade deal tomorrow, after Labor senators today recommended that the Senate pass legislation giving effect to the agreement. The Chairman of the Senate Committee that's been scrutinising the free trade deal, Labor Senator Peter Cook, says that while the deal is not perfect, it's not so bad that it should be rejected. Read the full text here.

2 August, 2004, ABC Radio National: PM, "Labor denies FTA cave-in", Reporter: Alexandra Kirk

Labor's Trade Spokesman Stephen Conroy has denied that Labor has caved in. He says that after examination by the Senate Committee, Labor has fewer concerns now about the deal. But the report still identified risks in the current deal in the areas of healthcare, intellectual property, cultural protection and impact on the manufacturing sector. Read the full transcript here.

August 1, 2004, Sydney Morning Herald Webdiary, "Latham’s fateful choice, and Peter Beattie’s cargo cult economics", By Tony Kevin

The irony is that Latham does not have to reject this FTA to meet Australian voter hopes that he will show backbone. He only has to say, " We will look at this again after our two countries’ elections are over. It has good and bad points for Australia. Read the full text here.

August 1, 2004, AAP, "FTA question may be settled this week: Labor"

Labor might be ready to make a decision on whether to support the free trade agreement (FTA) between Australia and the United States by the end of the week. Labor finance spokesman Bob McMullan said the opposition could announce its decision by the end of the week if a Senate committee report examining the deal is released this week. Read the full text here.

August 1, 2004, AAP, "Labor stalling over FTA: Howard"

Prime Minister John Howard today accused the Labor Party of using a Senate inquiry into the US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as an excuse to stall on the deal. Mr Howard said the investigation by the Senate committee into the impact of the agreement, whose report is expected to be handed down this week, was nothing more than ''an alibi''. Read the full text here.

August 1, 2004, AAP, "Costello predicts Labor to support FTA"

Treasurer Peter Costello today predicted Labor would end up supporting Australia's free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States despite internal party splits over the deal. Read the full text here.

August 1, 2004, Labor's body corporate", By Michelle Grattan

The Australia-US free trade agreement has taken on high symbolism for Labor - not least because it has become one crucial test by which the business community will judge Mark Latham's economic soundness and political mettle. Read the full text here.

July 31, 2004, AAP, "FTA committee report 'false'"

Senior Labor Senator Peter Cook today denied he was holding back draft recommendations from a Senate committee looking into the Australia-US free trade agreement (FTA). The Weekend Australian newspaper today reported that Senator Cook, the committee chairman, had refused to offer up the draft recommendations until after the Labor caucus had debated the issue next week. Read the full text here.

July 31, 2004, ABC News, "Senate committee yet to finalise FTA report"

The Senate committee investigating Australia's free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States is yet to finalise its recommendations. Inquiry members held an urgent meeting last night after it was revealed the chairman, Labor's Peter Cook, would need to take leave for health reasons. Read the full text here.

July 31, 2004, The Australian, "Senators stall on FTA decision", By Steve Lewis and Sid Marris

Labor senators on the crucial committee that will decide the federal Opposition's position on the US free trade agreement last night refused to back a call to support the deal until getting directions from the ALP caucus on Monday. Despite Opposition Leader Mark Latham declaring Labor would have to wait until the outcome of the Senate committee report, it is understood the committee chairman senator Peter Cook, in charge of writing the document, said he would not offer draft recommendations until the Labor caucus had debated the issue. Read the full text here.

July 31, 2004, Sydney Morning Herald, "Sovereignty lost in the trade-off", By Alan Ramsey

Ignore the hype. The case remains compelling about why nobody should assume, even now, that Mark Latham will agree to John Howard's free trade agreement (FTA) with the Bush Administration, whatever the enthusiasts say. Consider reality, not make-believe. The so-called FTA is not a trade agreement, free or otherwise. It is a political deal with George Bush. What the United States Congress, at Bush's bidding, has given the Howard Government, in gratitude for embracing the lies and manipulation that took both countries into Iraq, is a signed piece of paper, no more and no less. Read the full text here.

July 31, 2004, Sydney Morning Herald: Editorial, "Boxed into a trade corner"

Mark Latham's refusal to sign the Opposition up to the free trade agreement with the United States before next week's release of a Senate review of the deal goes further than the political opportunism charged by his critics. The Labor leader correctly identified the agreement's complexity and the absence of any apolitical need to rush to its endorsement. Read the full text here.

July 29, 2004, Sydney Morning Herald Webdiary, "Picking the low-hanging fruit first", By Brian Bahnisch

The distinguished American scholar Immanuel Wallerstein sees multilateral trade negotiations as a means for the core economies of the world, North America, Europe and North Asia, to open the peripheral economies to trade and investment, while protecting their own. He sees this as part of the structure of capitalism and what he calls the World System. It is not a mere policy option, but rather an inherent structural feature. Read the full text here.

July 29, 2004, AAP, "Union flags trade showdown"

Union boss Doug Cameron today flagged a showdown with the ALP if the party supported Australia's free trade agreement with the United States. Mr Cameron, secretary of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU), urged Mr Latham to oppose legislation supporting the agreement in the Senate. He said if Labor backed the agreement the union would be in for a fight. Read the full text here.

July 29, 2004, The Age, "From superpower to dinosaur: America's destiny", By Kenneth Davidson.

The overwhelming vote in the US Congress for the FTA was a vote for protection and extension of US interests, not free trade. The arguments in favour of the agreement advanced by the Australian Government are as dodgy as the so-called intelligence the public was fed to justify the Iraq invasion. Read the full text here.

29 July, 2004, ABC Radio National: PM, "Latham still on the fence over FTA", Reporter: Nick Grimm

Could the Free Trade Agreement with the US be the issue that makes or breaks Mark Latham's tilt at the prime ministership? What polling has been done doesn't seem to support the idea that the FTA is hugely popular. But that hasn't stopped it becoming the received wisdom in Canberra that opposing the agreement would hurt Mr Latham. Read the full text here.

29 July 2004, Courier-Mail, "Australian culture safe, says US", By Malcolm Cole and Steven Wardill

The US has hit back at claims Australian cultural industries are threatened by the free trade agreement, saying Australia won the argument on culture during the FTA negotiations. US ambassador Tom Schieffer told The Courier-Mail there was nothing in the FTA that undermined existing local content laws for television. Read the full text here.

July 30, 2004, ABC TV: Lateline, "Beattie says time for debate over", Reporter: Maxine McKew

Queensland Premier Peter Beattie argues the benefits of the US-Australia FTA. Read the full transcript here.

July 28, 2004, ABC News, "Tas Labor MPs sceptical of FTA's benefits"

A majority of Tasmania's five federal Labor MPs have indicated they do not support the Federal Government's proposed free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States. All five Labor MPs say they are worried about the FTA's impact on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and the rules governing Australian content on television. The Member for Lyons, Dick Adams, says the FTA is badly negotiated, with a sinister motive behind it. "This is really using the free trade agreement to drive changes to domestic policy in Australia," he said. Read the full text here.

July 28, 2004, AAP, "Anti-FTA campaign today"

Unions will take their campaign against the US free trade deal to early morning commuters in Sydney today. Australian Manufacturing Workers Union members will target commuters at Sydney's Central Station as part of a national campaign to highlight union concerns about the free trade agreement (FTA). It follows a decision by the ACTU to formally reject the FTA on grounds it will sweep away Australian manufacturing jobs and damage the nation's intellectual property and copyright laws. Read the full text here.

July 28, ABC News, "Australian director urges MPs to oppose FTA"

Filmmaker Gillian Armstrong is leading a call for more Labor MPs to publicly oppose the free trade agreement with the United States. Labor frontbencher Kate Lundy has voiced her opposition to the deal and Ms Armstrong says she knows other MPs feel the same way. Ms Armstong says she has spoken to other Labor party members who agree, but will not speak out because of the looming election. Read the full text here.

July 28, 2004, ABC News, "Beattie urges Labor to approve FTA"

The Federal Government has stepped up the pressure for the Opposition to make up its mind on Australia's free trade agreement (FTA) with the US, after Queensland Premier Peter Beattie again urged federal Labor to back the deal. Federal Labor leader Mark Latham says he is waiting for a Senate committee to report on the deal next month before making a decision but frontbencher Kate Lundy has spoken out against the deal. Read the full text here.

July 28, 2004, AAP, "Time to pass FTA: Beattie"

Queensland Premier Peter Beattie today called on federal Labor to support laws to implement the Australia-United States free trade agreement (FTA). The Senate will next week debate two pieces of legislation to put the FTA into operation. Mr Beattie, who has just returned from a trade mission to China, said the deal was a once-in-a-century opportunity. Read the full text here.

July 28, 2004, AAP, "PM 'trying to get FTA blocked'"

Prime Minister John Howard was trying to goad the Labor Party into blocking the free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States, Opposition defence spokesman Kim Beazley said today. Mr Howard today stepped up the pressure on Labor to ratify the free trade deal, offering support for Queensland Labor Premier Peter Beattie's comments that his federal counterparts should quickly resolve the issue. Read the full text here.

July 28, 2004, AAP, "No split on trade deal: Latham"

Federal Opposition Leader Mark Latham today rejected claims that Labor was divided over supporting the United States free trade agreement (FTA). He said that shadow ministers were simply airing well-known concerns. Mr Latham said Labor was going through a proper democratic process and there were pros and cons about the FTA. Read the full text here.

July 27, 2004, ABC News, "Labor Senator speaks out against FTA"

A Labor frontbencher has spoken out against the Australia-US free trade agreement (FTA), saying it contains too many risks for Australian culture. Labor's arts and information technology spokeswoman, ACT Senator Kate Lundy, says the agreement limits Australia's power to determine local content in free-to-air televison and new media. Read the full text here.

July 27, 2004, AAP, "Labor fears for Australian culture"

A Federal Labor frontbencher has signalled she will oppose the United States free trade agreement (FTA) because of its impact on the arts. Opposition arts spokeswoman Senator Kate Lundy today said the FTA, which will go to the Senate next week, would adversely impact on Australian culture. "There's no doubt that the FTA poses many great risks for Australian culture to local content. Read the full text here.

July 27, 2004, ABC News, "Labor 'dithering' on free trade"

Prime Minister John Howard says the Labor Party is divided on the free trade agreement with the US because Opposition Leader Mark Latham is using the debate for political purposes. The Opposition is waiting for the findings of a Senate inquiry, due next month, before it announces its final position on the deal. Read the full text here.

July 27, 2004, ABC News, "Labor in 'democratic debate' on FTA"

Federal Opposition Leader Mark Latham is denying the free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States has split the Labor Party. Labor's arts and information technology spokeswoman, Kate Lundy, has spoken out against agreement, saying it contains too many risks for Australian culture. Both Prime Minister John Howard and Foreign Minister Alexander Downer say that shows the Labor Party is divided. But Mr Latham denies claims of a split, saying Senator Lundy is simply raising concerns that are already in the public arena. Read the full text here.

27 July, 2004, Australian Parliamentary Library, "The PBS and the Australia–US Free Trade Agreement", By Kate Burton

Much of the debate over the Australia–US Free Trade Agreement centres on whether and how it will affect the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. In this Research Note Kate Burton examines the parts of AUSFTA that have caused the most concern and assesses their likely impact on the PBS. Read the full text here.

27 July, 2004, ABC TV: Lateline, "Car makers back trade deal", Reporter: Karen Tso

Local car makers have been one of the biggest supporters of the free trade agreement with the United States, describing it as win win for the industry. But unions warn there will also be a flood of cheap car parts into Australia which could decimate the industry. They've urged the Federal Government to learn from the Canadian experience, where a similar situation happened under NAFTA - the free trade agreement between Canada, the US and Mexico. Read the transcript here.

July 27, 2004, ABC TV: Lateline, "FTA is not free or fair, says Hargrove"

The national president of the Canadian Auto Workers Union, Buzz Hargrove, will tomorrow address Australian unionists about his view that free trade with the US is often neither free nor fair. Read the transcript here.

July 27, 2004, AAP, "Latham still cautious on FTA"

Labor's stand on the free trade deal with the United States would be based on what was best for Australia, federal Opposition Leader Mark Latham said. Mr Latham also reaffirmed Labor's plan to wait on the recommendations of a Senate committee investigating the FTA before making a final decision on how the party would vote in the Senate. Read the full text here.

July 27, 2004, Sydney Morning Herald, "Plum jobs for US trade deal advisers", By John Garnaut and Marian Wilkinson

Two senior United States trade negotiators who sealed the trade deal with Australia have accepted plum jobs representing US medical and drug companies. Ralph Ives was promoted in April to assistant US trade representative for pharmaceutical policy after leading the trade negotiations with Australia. Next month he becomes vice-president for global strategy at AdvaMed, an industry group that says its members produce half of the world's medical technology products. Read the full text here.

July 27, 2004, AAP, "Collette urges Latham to reject deal"

Actor Toni Collette has called on Labor leader Mark Latham to prove he has "balls" by rejecting the government's proposed Free Trade Agreement with the US. "I think if Mark Latham said no to the FTA and got in, people would stand up and applaud him for just having the balls to be a visionary and not feel as though he is having to answer to somebody," Collette said in Sydney while promoting her latest film - Connie and Carla. "If he is going to be a leader, he has to show that he can lead - that would be my fantasy." Read the full text here.

July 27, 2004, The Age, "Trade deal endangers jobs: Labor", By Michelle Grattan

The Australia-US free trade agreement put manufacturing jobs at risk and had potentially serious consequences for Victoria, Labor industry spokesman Kim Carr said yesterday. The warning by Senator Carr, a leading member of the Left, came as Business Council of Australia president Hugh Morgan urged Labor to ignore pressure from union leaders and the Greens to reject legislation enabling the agreement to proceed. Read the full text here.

July 27, 2004, AAP, "Labor not split on free trade: Latham"

Opposition leader Mark Latham today dismissed suggestions of a Labor split over Australia's free trade agreement with the United States. He stressed that ALP frontbencher Kate Lundy had simply raised well documented concerns when she said the trade agreement would adversely impact on Australian culture. Read the full text here.

July 26, 2004, AAP, "Marginal seat voters oppose FTA: poll"

Voters in marginal federal seats oppose Australia's free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States, a poll shows. The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) poll of 1,000 voters across 10 marginal seats showed 48 per cent opposed the agreement, with 41 per cent in support. The poll, conducted over the past fortnight, showed strong opposition from Labor and minor party voters, with 64 per cent of ALP supporters against the trade deal. Read the full text here.

July 26, 2004, AAP, "FTA 'first step to destroying PBS'"

Doctor and pharmaceutical groups are split on the effects of a free trade deal with the United States. The Medical Journal of Australia this week carries two articles claiming the free trade agreement (FTA) will undermine the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). The articles, by American and Australian experts, claim the deal undermines the PBS and the way it keeps a lid on the nation's prescription charges. Read the full text here.

July 26, 2004, The Age, "US ambassador makes FTA waves at car parts forum", By Ian Porter

US ambassador Tom Schieffer got a decidedly mixed reaction when he spelt out the implications of the proposed Australia-US free trade agreement at a leading car industry forum late last week. One observer was "appalled" by Mr Schieffer's speech, and described it as patronising. In his speech, Mr Schieffer said "Coming the other way, on day one, is an opportunity to receive American parts for your cars without the 15 per cent tariff you now have to pay. That will make the cars you make here cheaper and more competitive in markets around the world, not just the United States." Read the full text here.

25 July 2004, Medical Journal of Australia, "Will the Australia–United States Free Trade Agreement undermine the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme?", By Ken J Harvey, Thomas A Faunce, Buddhima Lokuge and Peter Drahos

The Australia–United States Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA) contains major concessions to the US pharmaceutical industry that may undermine the egalitarian principles and operation of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and substantially increase the costs of medicinal drugs to Australian consumers. Read the full text here.

July 25, 2004, Medical Journal of Australia, "Free trade in pharmaceuticals", By M Kevin Outterson

Provisions in the Australia–United States Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA) may threaten the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), the gold standard of such programs worldwide. Read the full text here.

July 25, 2004, The Age, "Big bother as Latham is exposed on trade", By Michelle Grattan

The spotlight on him, Latham must force a reluctant party to vote for the controversial US-Australia free trade agreement. Read the full text here.

July 25, 2004, Sunday Telegraph, "GREENS ELECTION THREAT TO LABOR"

The Greens have demanded that Labor block the free trade agreement with the US as part of a broader preference deal at the next election. Greens leader Bob Brown revealed that secret talks on a preference deal had already begun, with the outcome dependent on how Labor addresses Greens concerns about the FTA and old-growth logging in Tasmanian forests. "Labor's final decision on the FTA will be an important part of our considerations," Senator Brown said. Read the full text here.

July 25, 2004, AAP, "Government promises no drug price rises"

The federal government has promised the price of drugs would not rise as a result of the free trade agreement with the United States (AUSFTA) and called for Labor to pass the deal. Health Minister Tony Abbott announced the government would set up an independent review process for applications to list drugs on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). Read the full text here.

July 24, 2004, Sydney Morning Herald, "Costs aplenty in 'free' trade IP deals with US", By Ross Gittins

The funny thing about the free trade agreement with the United States is that its most debatable feature has little to do with ordinary exports and imports. It's our agreement to change our intellectual property rights to conform with those in the US and, in the process, beef them up. Read the full text here.

July 24, 2004, The Age, "Labor ready to back free trade deal" By Tim Colebatch

Opposition Leader Mark Latham has given his strongest indication yet that Labor will back the free trade agreement with the United States, despite an overwhelming view in the party that it is a bad deal. Labor sources say the leadership, including trade spokesman and deputy Senate leader Stephen Conroy, has decided that the party cannot risk being painted as anti-American by opposing the deal. Read the full text here.

July 23, 2004, ABC News, "Ford workers fear for jobs under FTA"

Ford workers at Geelong fear they could lose their jobs if the Federal Government passes the free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States. The US Congress passed the agreement last week. But car industry employees say Australia is too small to open itself up to US markets without protection or tariffs. Read the full text here.

July 22, 2004, Linuxworld, "Tridge fears FTA patent war", By Steven Deare, LinuxWorld

One of Australia's most recognised Linux developers, Dr Andrew Tridgell, has attacked the proposed Australia-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA), claiming it could pit local open source developers against Microsoft in a "patent war". Representing Linux Australia, Dr Tridgell on Wednesday joined trade union, social services, health and arts representatives at a press conference to call on the Senate to block the impending legislation. Read the full text here.

July 21, 2004, AAP, "Senate urged to block FTA"

Leading unions, doctors and welfare groups are urging the Senate to block the free trade agreement (FTA) with the US. Launching a joint statement today calling on the Senate to block enabling legislation when it is debated next month, the groups will also send a copy to federal parliamentarians. Among the signatories are the ACTU, Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association of NSW, Australian Conservation Foundation, Public Health Association of Australia, Doctors' Reform Society and the Australian Council of Social Service. Read the full text here.

21 July 2004, Canberra Times, "Labor must hold its nerve on the FTA", By Tony Kevin

Labor should hold its nerve and not be panicked by Howard into green-lighting a bad agreement. The stakes for Australia are very high. Read the full text here.

July 20, 2004, The Age, "Why Latham should reject the FTA", By Tim Colebatch.

How could any Australian government agree to such a lopsided deal? We are proud to be a nation that walks tall, treats others as equals, and demands the same of them. Could you imagine Sir John McEwen, Bob Hawke or Paul Keating accepting this cringing, second-rate outcome? It is a humiliating sell-out. Read the full text here.

July 19, 2004, Sydney Morning Herald, "No free trade in so-called free trade agreement", By Ross Gittins

The Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement has been easily approved by the US Congress, and next month may be passed by our Parliament, but that doesn't prove it's in our economy's interests. Read the full text here.

July 19, 2004, "Best to understand the dangers before swallowing this pill", By Thomas Faunce and Buddhima Lokuge.

Much of the debate over the proposed free trade agreement with the US has been about higher drug costs under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. What has received little attention, however, is the impact of the proposed agreement on hospital prices for so-called generic drugs, which will affect public hospital budgets at the state level as generic drug prices rise. Read the full text here.

July 19, 2004, The Australian, "Trade deal thwarts drugs", By David Uren and Steve Lewis

The Howard Government will block multinational drug companies from using the Australia-US free trade agreement to overturn decisions on which medicines get taxpayer subsidies. In a move the Government hopes will win Labor support for the FTA, Health Minister Tony Abbott has resisted industry pleading for a new bureaucracy to rival the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee. Read the full text here.

17 July 2004, Canberra Times, "US Senate passes trade deal", By Ross Peake

The Howard Government stepped up pressure on the Labor Party yesterday over the free-trade agreement with the United States after its approval by US Congress. The US Senate approved the trade deal between the two countries by a large majority, 80 to 16, after the House of Representatives passed the deal on Thursday. The Australian Parliament must also approve the deal before it will come into force. Read the full text here.

July 17, 2004, ABC News, "Eyes on Labor after US backs trade agreement"

The Federal Opposition is under renewed pressure from business groups to support a free trade agreement with the United States. The trade agreement passed in the US Senate on Friday. After the US Congress overwhelmingly supported the deal, Prime Minister John Howard again urged the Opposition to pass the agreement. But the Labor Party is waiting on a Senate committee report before making a final decision. Read the full text here.

July 17 2004, The Age, "Trade deal up to Labor: PM", By Josh Gordon

The Labor Party is now the only hurdle in the way of the free trade deal with America, after both houses of the US Congress voted emphatically in its favour. With the Greens, the Democrats and One Nation senator Len Harris vowing to vote against the agreement in the Senate, the fate of the deal is in the hands of Labor, which appears to be divided. Read the full text here.

July 17, 2004, The Australian, "Drug prices will not kill FTA", By David Uren and Roy Eccleston

The single biggest obstacle stopping Labor from passing the US trade deal was not a serious problem, according to the senior party figure helping to craft the Opposition's final position on the agreement. The Labor chairman of the crucial Senate trade committee that will determine the ALP position on the free trade agreement, former minister Peter Cook, acknowledged that the deal would have a benign effect on drug prices. Read the full text here.

16 July 2004, ABC Radio National: Perspective, "The US-Australia Free Trade Agreement - Weighing Up the Evidence", By Michael Cebon

It came as a surprise to me last month when Australia’s Labor premiers came out in support of the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement. I was surprised you see, not because they supported the FTA, but because not one of them has bothered to commission any research into the impact of the actual agreement on the people they represent. Read the full transcript here.

16 July, 2004, ABC Radio National: AM, "Howard taunts Labor over free trade deal", Reporter: Catherine McGrath

With the Free Trade Agreement getting through the US Senate with a surprisingly big majority, Prime Minister John Howard has already begun taunting Labor. In Melbourne today, Mr Howard said that only his Government could have achieved such an outcome. He said a government with a different relationship with the United States would have failed. Read the full text here.

July 16, 2004, Australian Financial Review, "Latham stands firm as US Senate backs trade deal", By Jim Parker

Labor Party leader Mark Latham is refusing to be rushed into rubber-stamping the historic free trade deal between the United States and Australia despite the US Senate overwhelmingly passing the legislation. Read the full text here.

July 16, 2004, The Australian, "Editorial: Time to end Labor delay on the FTA"

Mr Latham has based his career on welcoming good ideas, wherever they come from. He should stay true to form and join with all Australians who believe in the future of an Australia free trading economy and congratulate the Prime Minister for negotiating the FTA. Read the full text here.

July 16, 2004, ABC news, "US Senate approves free trade pact"

The United States Senate has passed the free trade agreement between the US and Australia. The 80-16 vote sends the pact to President George W Bush, who is expected to swiftly sign it into law. Arizona Republican John McCain told the Senate the deal was worth passing but only just. Read the full text here.

July 16, 2004, ABC News, "Bush set to approve free trade pact"

United States President George W Bush is expected to swiftly sign into law the free trade agreement between the US and Australia, after it was passed by the US Senate. The Australian Parliament must also approve the deal before it will come into force. Read the full text here.

July 16, 2004, ABC Radio National: The World Today, "US Senate endorses FTA", Reporter: Lisa Millar

Australia's Free Trade Agreement with the United States passed its last congressional hurdle today with a vote of 80 to 16 in the US Senate. The result comes after yesterday's vote in favour of the FTA in the House of Representatives. All that remains now is for the bill to be signed by President George W. Bush and it will have fulfilled the US end of the deal. Read the full text here.

July 16 2004, The Age, "PM points to FTA as proof of his sway with US", By Russell Skelton

Prime Minister John Howard claimed yesterday the passage of the US-Australia free trade agreement through the US House of Representatives was a direct result of the close relationship his Government had forged with the Bush Administration. "Does anyone imagine that a Latham government would have been able to negotiate that agreement with the current administration? Not a hope," he said. Read the full text here.

16 July 2004, Canberra Times, "ALP pressured on free trade deal"

The Federal Government stepped up the pressure on the ALP to support free trade with the United States yesterday after the free trade agreement passed its first hurdle in the US Congress. Read the full text here.

15 July, 2004, Democrats Press Release, "Congress Vote Confirms FTA Is All About US Interests"

It's no surprise the US House of Representatives approved the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement as it is overwhelmingly in their interest, say the Australian Democrats. Democrats Trade spokesperson, Senator Aden Ridgeway, said this should be a matter of acute embarrassment for our Government that they have agreed to a deal that so significantly benefits the US. Read the full text here.

15 July, 2004, ABC Radio National: AM, "FTA passed by US House of Reps", Reporter: John Shovelan

Proponents of the US-Australian Free Trade Agreement have repeatedly referred to Australia's support in Iraq and Afghanistan as a sign of just how close the relationship is between the two countries. With strong bi-partisan support the FTA easily passed the through the American House of Representatives and is expected to go to the floor of the US Senate later this week. Read the full text here.

July 12, 2004, New York Times, "Trade Pact May Undercut Inexpensive Drug Imports" By ELIZABETH BECKER and ROBERT PEAR

US Congress is poised to approve an international trade agreement that would allow pharmaceutical companies to prevent imports of drugs to the United States and also to challenge decisions by Australia about what drugs should be covered by the country's health plan, the prices paid for them and how they can be used. Read the full text here.

July 7, 2004, Asia Pulse, "Majority backs FTA's passage"

Pressure on the Labor Party to pass the free-trade agreement with the United States is growing after a new poll showed 55 per cent of respondents were in favour of the deal clearing the Senate. But Labor could draw some comfort from the Roy Morgan poll, which also found that just 45 per cent of Australians actually favoured the deal. Read the full text here.

July 7, 2004, AAP, "Back FTA: Bush urges Congress"

President George Bush has written to the United States Congress urging it to back the free-trade agreement with Australia. In a formality that puts the agreement on track for a vote in the Congress within the next fortnight, Mr Bush said the FTA would benefit both countries. Read the full text here.

July 6, 2004, AAP, "Key Labor senator hits US agreement"

Australian farmers, intellectual property users and the nation's pharmaceutical system could be disadvantaged by the free-trade deal with the United States, the Labor senator chairing an inquiry into the agreement said yesterday. Former trade minister Peter Cook cited serious problems in the agreement. Read the full text here.

July 5, 2004, The Age, "Are econocrats showing true colours over trade?", By Ross Gittins

Have you noticed how little the usually noisy economic rationalists are saying about the pros and cons of the free trade agreement with the US? It's not a good look. Right-wing think tanks are silent on an agreement that runs counter to their economic rationalist principles. Read the full text here.

July 2, 2004, WorkersOnline News, "Latham Gets Late Mail"

Thousands of Australians have put Mark Latham on the spot over a free trade agreement critics insists would damage the economy, jobs, culture and health care. Almost 4000 have registered their opposition to AUSFTA in emails to the Opposition leader's office through Global Trade Watch, just one of several mass organisations running campaigns against the deal. Read the full text here.

July 1, 2004, The Age, "Why rush a free trade deal, Mr Howard?", By Kenneth Davidson

It would be incredible if the ALP is spooked into agreeing to pass the Australia-United States free trade agreement before the federal election on the grounds that Labor would otherwise run the risk of being branded anti-American by the Howard Government. Read the full text here.

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