PRESS RELEASE: The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Trade Justice is organising a meeting on the opportunities and risks of a UK-Australia trade deal. Experts in the field will be sharing their analysis and opinion at the event, which takes place on Wednesday afternoon 16 June.
This timely event will explore what we currently know about the trade deal that has just been agreed between Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison.
"As the UK's first independent trade deal, the debate around this agreement will set the tone for public scrutiny and engagement with UK trade policy. This APPG event will aim to explore what we know about the deal already, and where it might be heading." says Dmitry Grozoubinski, former Australian trade negotiator, visiting professor at University of Strathclyde's School of Law and founder of ExplainTrade
Australia is a key ally of the UK and a trade agreement could hasten the UK's planned accession to the Trans-Pacific Partnership. However, the deal has exposed fault lines - even within Government - as critics point to Australia's lower food and farming standards, and the limited GDP benefits of a deal with a country over 9,000 miles away.
“We need reassurances from today's agreement between Australia and the UK that the manifesto commitment of no imports to standards lower than in the UK will be followed. We will be closely monitoring this deal as specific language is agreed in this area.” says David Bowles, Head of Public Affairs for the RSPCA.
"We are concerned that it looks like it will be yet another UK trade deal with no enforceable labour standards, which could lead to a race to the bottom on workers' rights. That is unacceptable.” added Rosa Crawford, International Policy Officer for the Trade Unions Congress.
The event will be chaired by Fleur Anderson MP and speakers are:
● Dmitry Grozoubinski, former Australian trade negotiator, visiting professor at University of Strathclyde's School of Law and founder of ExplainTrade
● David Bowles, Head of Public Affairs for the RSPCA and Chair of the Trade and Animal Welfare Coalition
● Rosa Crawford, International Policy Officer for the Trade Unions Congress
● Orla Delargy, Head of Public Affairs for the Sustain Alliance for food and farming
The role of the APPG on Trade Justice is to provide expertise and to inform and educate on trade justice issues in Parliament. These include how the international trade and investment system affects the environment, human and social rights, rule of law and democracy. The Trade Justice Movement hosts the secretariat of the APPG on Trade Justice.
Notes to the editors:
About TJM:
The Trade Justice Movement (TJM) is a UK coalition of nearly sixty civil society organisations, with millions of individual members, calling for trade rules that work for people and planet. Our members include trade unions, aid agencies, environment and human rights campaigns, Fair Trade organisations and consumer groups. Together we are calling for trade justice, not free trade, with the rules weighted to ensure sustainable outcomes for ordinary people and the environment.
We believe that everyone has the right to feed their families, make a decent living and protect their environment. But the rich and powerful are pursuing trade policies that put profits before the needs of people and planet.
Details of the event:
Trade Down Under: The Opportunities and Risks of a UK-Australia FTA
Wednesday 16 June, 5-6pm
To obtain the Zoom link for the event please email David Lawrence, Senior Political Adviser, david[at]tjm.org.uk
___________
