trade

Australia is currently trying to export to the Pacific its love of free trade. Understandably the Pacific is not totally sold.

The Pacific Island Forum Leaders meeting final communique contained commitments on many of the issues currently under negotiation in PACER-Plus. The Australian Fair Trade Campaign (AFTINET) and Australia’s aid watchdog, AID/WATCH, today call upon both the New Zealand and Australian governments to take this opportunity to reflect and move PACER-Plus away from being a Regional Free Trade Agreement to being a genuine development-based agreement.

Australian Non Government Organisations expressed concern at reports of Australia's attempt to compromise the ability of Pacific island countries to determine the role and mandate of the Office of Chief Trade Adviser (OCTA). Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network (AFTINET) and the aid watchdog, AID/WATCH, called on the Australian Government to support the OCTA and ensure funding for the Pacific-led trade advisory body does not come with strings attached.

Australia has again come under criticism from Pacific Island trade officials and non-government groups for its actions in undermining the capacity for the Pacific Island countries to participate in negotiations for a free trade agreement, known as PACER-Plus.

Civil society groups from the Pacific including churches, trade unions, gender groups,indigenous rights groups and advocacy groups launched a statement calling for a moratorium on negotiations for a new Pacific-wide free trade agreement known as PACER-Plus. The statement, launched in Port Vila, Vanuatu, to coincide with the annual Pacific Islands Forum Leaders' Meeting, called on Leaders to put the developmental priorities of the Pacific ahead of political timelines.

Countries say no negotiation until PACER adviser appointed; PIFS moves to counter disloyalty, dilly-dallying, lack of transparency allegations