Tag Archives: Free Trade Agreements

JOHN MENADUE. Military/Security takeover of Australia’s foreign policy. (Repost from 2 February 2017)

Posted on 20 July 2017 by John Menadue

The military and defence establishment and lobbies, both in Australia and the US are determining Australia’s foreign policy. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and her Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade are being sidelined. 

Posted in Defence/Security, Foreign Affairs, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

IAN McAULEY. Brexit, Trump and the Lucky Country 3 – Globalization takes the rap, unfairly

Posted on 9 January 2017 by John Menadue

Globalization has been only one of the developments that has led to widening inequality and social exclusion. Countries that have globalized have also introduced a raft of neoliberal domestic policies, against which people are reacting.

Posted in Democratic Renewal, Economy, Education, Environment, Foreign Affairs, Health, Industrial relations, Politics, Vested Interests | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

TIM HARCOURT. Three reasons free trade has become a political football.

Posted on 16 July 2016 by John Menadue

  Surveying democratic election results around the world, it’s clear the high water mark for globalisation has been met. Free trade, always questionable economics, is no longer good politics and in many ways has jumped the shark.

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The election campaign’s other big lie: the Coalition hasn’t delivered ‘export agreements’.

Posted on 7 July 2016 by John Menadue

  Pearls and Irritations has carried many articles about the exaggerated claims for free trade agreements.  That exaggeration continued during the election campaign. One of the five pillars of Malcolm Turnbull’s ‘plan for jobs and growth’ was the alleged benefits … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Federal Election 2016, Foreign Affairs, Politics | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

John Menadue. Preferential trade deals – gigantic foundation stones or pebbles?

Posted on 13 January 2016 by John Menadue

Malcolm Turnbull has described the TPP as a ‘gigantic foundation stone’ that will deliver ‘more jobs, absolutely’. The World Bank now tells us that the TPP will be more like a pebble than a foundation stone.  See following article by … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Foreign Affairs, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

John Menadue. The government just does not get it on Free Trade Agreements.

Posted on 1 October 2015 by John Menadue

I hope readers are not getting tired that I have said many times that the government continues to exaggerate the benefits of bilateral FTAs, most recently with Japan, Korea and China. With so little to show after two wasted years … Continue reading →

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John Menadue. Slogans vs Facts.

Posted on 17 September 2015 by John Menadue

In my post of 16 September, I referred to the continual exaggeration over the benefits of Free Trade Agreements. There has been quite a pattern of this type of exaggeration with slogans rather than facts. One example of slogans and … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Foreign Affairs, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Exaggeration over Free Trade Agreements.

Posted on 16 September 2015 by John Menadue

I have posted many blogs in the last couple of years concerning the Free Trade Agreements with the Republic of Korea, Japan and China. I have pointed out that the years of negotiation of these agreements occurred under the Rudd … Continue reading →

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John Menadue. Turnbull and Abbott

Posted on 15 September 2015 by John Menadue

Bill Shorten aside, most Australians will welcome our new Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull. He offers a more rational, humane and consultative style of leadership. His main problem will be how to reconcile his own progressive views on such issues as … Continue reading →

Posted in NBN, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

John Menadue. The Senate saves the day on the Trans Pacific Partnership.

Posted on 13 August 2015 by John Menadue

The Senate saves the day on the Trans Pacific Partnership. Often the Senate is seen as obstructive or worse. But it has performed a very useful purpose in helping to derail the Trans Pacific Partnership. Hopefully the TPP will not … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Foreign Affairs, Media, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Walter Hamilton. The guts of a Free Trade Agreement with Japan.

Posted on 1 April 2014 by John Menadue

Dolphin-culling and free trade agreements represent opposite sides of the coin of the relationship between Australia and Japan. Both are currently in the news, with Sea Shepherd activists hounding the fishermen of Taiji (where the documentary ‘The Cove’ was filmed) … Continue reading →

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