Australian Medical Association lash out at nasties lurking in trade deal

Greens spokesperson for Trade, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, lends his support to the Australian Medical Association (AMA) in its calls for the Australian government to reject provisions in the Trans Pacific Partnership agreement (TPP) that “could undermine the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and compromise the ability of governments to improve public health.”*

The Greens, like the AMA, have had long-held concerns about how the secretive TPP negotiations may undermine the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, extend the time it takes for new medicines to be sold as low-cost generic-branded products and limit Australia’s ability to protect our Plain Packaging tobacco laws.

Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said, “The details of many of the trade deals currently under negotiation are being kept secret. The Government has rejected on several occasions the demands of the Australian Senate to reveal the details of what is being traded away in our name.

“If these trade deals are as good for Australia as the Government tells us, why not disclose the details?

“Ultimately with the TPP the Government is going to decide whether they will give up control over our health system to be able to sell more beef and rice into Asia-Pacific markets.

“The Government likes to spin trade deals as being entirely a good news story. What they don’t tell you is ‘you have to give something to get something.’

“What the world (i.e. multi-national pharmaceutical companies) wants Australia to give up is our first-class Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

“I also welcome the AMA’s expression of alarm at the Trojan Horse Investor-State Dispute-Settlement (ISDS) provisions. These provisions will allow multi-national corporations the right to sue Australia for making laws that negatively impact their profits.

“The Greens currently have a Bill before parliament to ban these Trojan Horse provisions. It is worth noting that the Chair of the European Parliament’s International Trade Committee has recently called for ISDS to be removed from their impending trade deals.

“I don’t trust Andrew Robb not to trade away our Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. These deals should be negotiated in public, and parliament should be allowed to scrutinise any agreement well before it is signed,” Senator Whish-Wilson concluded.
Greens spokesperson for Trade, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson