Gillard and the TPP

[AiA in Atlanta]

Back in the 1990s Keating prohibited any kind of trade arrangement directed against Japan which was the center of the Australian trading universe. Fast forward and Gillard can't get into the TPP fast enough which IS directed against China, the new center of the Australian trading universe. Did Gillard give in to the US interests here? Any thoughts?

[Super Nova]

"US interests here"

On the button.

UK = 51st State
Australia = 52nd state

of the union.

Our new flag should be.........

[mantra]

Back in the 1990s Keating prohibited any kind of trade arrangement directed against Japan which was the center of the Australian trading universe. Fast forward and Gillard can't get into the TPP fast enough which IS directed against China, the new center of the Australian trading universe. Did Gillard give in to the US interests here? Any thoughts?

John Howard was the PM who gave into the US interests by signing up to an FTA with them - in their favour. There was a huge uproar here when Australians learnt the conditions of the agreement. We virtually signed away our rights to produce film and television without their permission and committed ourselves to buying most of their drugs.

We now have a huge trade deficit with the US because this agreement allows them to sell more to us than we export to them and with the Australian dollar being so high (thanks to their printing of cash) - they have the upper hand. We can't move without consulting the US.

[Super Nova]

That's why we should come out of denial and change the flag.

[Rorschach]

Back in the 1990s Keating prohibited any kind of trade arrangement directed against Japan which was the center of the Australian trading universe. Fast forward and Gillard can't get into the TPP fast enough which IS directed against China, the new center of the Australian trading universe. Did Gillard give in to the US interests here? Any thoughts?

John Howard was the PM who gave into the US interests by signing up to an FTA with them - in their favour. There was a huge uproar here when Australians learnt the conditions of the agreement. We virtually signed away our rights to produce film and television without their permission and committed ourselves to buying most of their drugs.

We now have a huge trade deficit with the US because this agreement allows them to sell more to us than we export to them and with the Australian dollar being so high (thanks to their printing of cash) - they have the upper hand. We can't move without consulting the US.

Figures to back all that up please.

[Rorschach]

TTP?

Moschcowitz syndrome ?

[mantra]

Figures to back all that up please.

If you go to this link you will see all the figures - export and import from a decade or so ago between the US and Australia. They export twice as much on average every month to us as we do to them so obviously there is a huge deficit on our part.

http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c6021.html

There is too much to copy but the figures are laid out very clearly. Remember - these are the US trade figures with us - not the other way around.

[Rorschach]

had a look... so what do you think is happening and why?

The figures vary a bit from year to year but as our population grows so do the figures. there may have been a slight jump the year the fta came into being but I doubt that on it's own is the reason.

Also the proportions have from year to year basically stayed the same. They maintain a positive trade balance with us but it has always been thus. The proportion year to year is almost always the same. Even after the FTA.

[AiA in Atlanta]

TTP?

Moschcowitz syndrome ?

No, Trans-Pacific Partnership.

[IQS.RLOW]

I thought it was Tims Preferred Persons for entry at the footy