TPP Senate Inquiry welcomed by community groups

September 16, 2016

TPP Senate Inquiry welcomed by community groups

A Senate inquiry has been called into the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, in response to a letter sent to parliamentarians from 60 community organisations representing over 2 million Australians.

The inquiry was moved jointly by the Greens and the Nick Xenophon Team, supported by the ALP and approved in the Senate on Thursday, September 15.

The TPP is currently being examined by the Joint Standing Committee On Treaties, on which the government has a majority. The assessment of the TPP being considered by the committee has been done by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which negotiated the Treaty.

“We are delighted that majority in the Senate has answered the call from community organisations representing over 2 million Australians and decided to conduct a Senate inquiry into the TPP,” Dr Patricia Ranald, Convener of the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network said today

“The TPP expands corporate rights at the expense of people's rights and deserves far more critical scrutiny than is possible by the government-dominated Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, which has not conducted independent assessments of the TPP's economic health and environmental impacts. A Senate inquiry will enable the full critical scrutiny which the TPP deserves.

We expect the committee will meet in the next sitting week of October 10 and call for public submissions,” said Doctor Ranald.

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