Nuclear Spy fucked around with this message at 11:47 on Aug 9, 2014

Nuclear Spy fucked around with this message at 11:38 on Aug 21, 2014

• Foreign banks would be given greater access to the Australian market, local bank accounts and financial data could be tranferred overseas, and foreign financial and information technology workers would be free to flood the workforce under proposals being discussed by Australian trade negotiators
  

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  Trade Minister Andrew Robb has dismissed experts' warnings that the proposed changes could harm Australia's ability to deal with future financial crises independently..."Financial services are a key part of the negotiations for us, given the strength of our sector in areas including banking and wealth management, particularly in the major, growing markets of Asia,"

• Leaked details of secret trade negotiations between 12 countries, including Australia and New Zealand, have revealed that the Australian government has backed the US in its attempt to enforce stricter geo-blocking and other anti-piracy measures in a series of amendments that could result in Australians paying more for certain products, including video games.
  

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  One end result for consumers would most likely be the continuation of increased prices for gamers locally here in Australia, and another looks like an increase in liability for companies like YouTube and iiNet, who could be held responsible for the piracy of its users.

• The trade union representing Australia’s nurses and midwives is warning that a global trade deal in services may herald a new wave of privatisations in the country’s public hospitals and health services.
  

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  It (Public Services International) claims the agreement will prevent governments from returning public services to public hands when privatisations fail, will restrict domestic regulations on worker safety, will limit environmental regulations and will affect consumer protections and regulatory authority in areas such as licensing of healthcare facilities, power plants, waste disposal and university and school accreditation.

• Abbott and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe have settled on the major points of the bi-lateral free trade deal agreement.
  

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  The Australian Dairy Industry Council said it was “extremely disappointed” about the deal: “There has been no movement in this agreement on fresh cheese -- the number one objective for Australia dairy industry -- with tariffs to remain at 29.8 per cent.”

• Australia and South Korea have formally signed off on a free trade agreement during a meeting in Seoul.
  

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  Queensland Liberal National MP George Christensen, who represents the sugar-growing region of Mackay, says he is "disappointed there has been no improvement for the sugar industry" which he says "always seems to be on the outer" when it comes to free trade agreements. Brent Finlay from the National Farmers Federation says the deal "does not improve, or marginally improves, market access and terms of trade for a number of sectors such as dairy, sugar, grains, pork and rice,"

• A new survey by the Australia Institute found 55 per cent of respondents did not know about the TPP, as it is known. Another 19 per cent said "I'm not sure."
  
• The US wants special rights for foreign investors included in the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), which would allow foreign investors to sue governments for millions of dollars if their investments are ‘harmed’ by a law or policy, even if that law or policy is designed to protect public health or the environment.
  
  
• Abbott's free trade deals with our major trading partners will cost the budget an estimated $2.4 billion in lost tariff revenue