‘A trillion dollar secret that will affect the whole world’: WikiLeaks offers $100,000 reward for missing TPP chapters

‘A trillion dollar secret that will affect the whole world’: WikiLeaks offers $100,000 reward for missing TPP chapters

• 10 DAYS AGO JUNE 03, 2015 12:21PM

It’s been called ‘the dirtiest deal you’ve never heard of.’ Source: Supplied

AUSTRALIA’S biggest and most secretive trade agreement now has a price on its head.

WikiLeaks, the online mavericks dedicated to spilling state secrets, is offering $100,000 for all 29 sections of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal, which have been kept from the public.

It says it already has three chapters but wants the lot.

Wikileaks has branded them “America’s Most Wanted Secrets” in a move which could affect Australia’s participation in the pact involving 12 nations that produce 40 per cent of the world’s economic output.

It has been dubbed “the dirtiest deal you’ve never heard of” and is being negotiated out of public view. Australia’s Trade Minister Andrew Robb has insisted there is nothing sinister about this and that the final document will boost Australia’s income, saying: “Why would I set out to make Australians materially worse off?”
WikiLeaks offers $100K reward for biggest ever secret
But his Liberal colleague Senator Bill Heffernan has disagreed.
“Politicians and governments need to have enough self-confidence to be able to have a contest of ideas, rather than doing something in secret and dropping it on the table,” Senator Heffernan has said.
This parallels concerns among Democrats and Republicans in the United States, where the Obama administration is being pressured to reveal all details before the agreement is ratified.
“It is enforceable corporate global governance,” said one US critic, referring to claims the TPP would give multinationals the power to reject legislated laws.
This is the Investor State Disputes Settlement (ISDS) body expected to have the power to arbitrate complaints by transnational companies against governments.
Andrew Robb argues the ISDS would protect Australia’s interests.
“We have got ISDS agreements with 28 countries that have extended back over 30 years,” he said recently.
“Now the sun I notice still comes up every morning despite this being the case, and yet if you read a lot of what some of these people are saying today, you’d think the world’s going to stop if we have an ISDS clause.”
WikiLeaks isn’t convinced and made this plea overnight:
“It is a one-way ticket. Once signed it will be locked in place forever,” says a spokesman in the video.
“But the scariest thing about the TPP is that there are 26 chapters that cover our daily lives that we have not seen.
“So let’s raise $100,000 as a reward for the missing chapters on the TPP and help uncover a trillion dollar secret that will affect the whole world. Make your pledge today.”

http://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/a-trillion-dollar-secret-that-will-affect-the-whole-world-wikileaks-offers-100000-reward-for-missing-tpp-chapters/story-fnu2pycd-1227381309209

Trans-Pacific Partnership TPP

Trans-Pacific Partnership: Obama's bill for fast-track authority defeated by Congress

By North America correspondent Ben Knight, wires

Posted earlier today at 8:15am

PHOTO: Us president Barack Obama has faced stiff opposition to "fast-track" powers for the Trans-

The Australian Government's hopes of joining a massive Pacific free trade agreement are up in the air after the United States Congress voted to slow down the negotiations.

Australia is one of 12 countries negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), along with major economies like Japan and the US.

US president Barack Obama wants the deal done before he leaves office but is facing opposition to the new free trade agreement from US unions.

The union lobbying has been effective: members of the president's own Democratic party as well as Republicans on Friday rejected a program to give aid to workers who lose their jobs as a result of US trade deals with other countries in a 302-126 vote.

That was quickly followed by the House's narrow approval of a separate measure to give Obama "fast-track" authority to negotiate the TPP trade deal.

However, without the worker assistance package, the fast-track measure cannot move forward into law, meaning it is currently "stuck" in the House.

A House of Representatives Republican aide said Republican leaders hoped to try again on Tuesday to pass the worker aid portion of the bill.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest dismissed the failed vote as a "procedural snafu" and was confident Democrats would come around to support the measure.

Fast-track authority would let Mr Obama negotiate international trade agreements that Congress can either approve or disapprove but not amend.

Many Democrats have worried that giving Mr Obama fast-track authority to finish the TPP would result in job losses in their home districts just as the US was making economic gains that have led to a brighter jobs picture nationally.

Australia will agree to TPP only if it benefits farmers

The Federal Agriculture Minister, Barnaby Joyce has said he would only agree to a new free trade deal with the US if it benefited the Australian agricultural industry.

Recent leaks of the secret negotiations indicate the US is unwilling to consider cuts to tariffs and import quotas on Australian beef and sugar products.

Mr Joyce said Australia would not settle on a deal unless demands for better market access were met.

"I've been in discussions with the Americans and we will not be just signing any deal, it has to be a deal that works for us," he said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-13/obamas-quest-for-fast-track-trade-bill-defeated-for-now/6543560

Ag Minister seeks best deal for farmers as Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations continue

By Tawar Razaghi

Posted Fri at 10:22am

PHOTO: Federal Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce says he'll only agree to a new TPP if it benefits Australian producers.(ABC: Marlina Whop)

MAP: Tamworth 2340

The Federal Agriculture Minister, Barnaby Joyce, says he will only agree to a new free trade deal with the United States if it benefits the Australian agricultural industry.

The Trans Pacific Partnership, a major free trade deal between twelve pacific rim countries, is in the final stages of negotiations.

Recent leaks of the negotiations indicate America is unwilling to consider cuts to tariffs and import quotas on Australian beef and sugar products.

Barnaby Joyce said Australia will not settle on a deal unless demands for better market access are met.

"I've been in discussions with the Americans and we will not be just signing any deal, it has to be a deal that works for us," he said.

"It's not the case that the Americans get any deal they want and we just have to accept it.

"If there's nothing in it for us, then we don't need to sign it, if we believe we can get ahead further by not being part of it then that is precisely what we'll do."

Minister Joyce said the deal needs to be better than the current agreement.

"One of the key things for the United States of America is what they do with the sugar and beef," he said.

"I've made that clear to them and they've made certain requirements clear to me, this is how negotiations work.

"If we get nowhere on some of the key issues that are important to us and if the status quo position is better than our negotiated position then we'll stick with the status quo."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-12/ag-minister-seeks-best-deal-for-farmers-as-trans-pacific-partne/6541034