Australia-China
A bilateral trade agreement between Australia and China was finalised in 2015.
This agreement is controversial in Australia because it increases entry of temporary Chinese workers in a large number of occupations, without testing first if local workers are available. There are also provisions for Chinese companies with projects worth over $150 million to negotiate the number of foreign workers they bring in as well as their pay and conditions. This is the first time an arrangement which could allow most of the workforce to be imported has been included in any Australian trade agreement. It is unclear whether recent changes to the regulations of Australia’s Migration Act will be sufficient to ensure that such workers are not exploited.
Temporary migrant workers in Australia are already at a high risk of exploitation. There have been a number of studies showing exploitation of temporary workers, working long hours in dangerous conditions at less than minimum wages. Without greater protections in place there are concerns that increased numbers of temporary workers negotiated through trade agreements could lead to more cases of exploitation.
One important impact of the agreement is how it will open the doors to more Chinese investment in Australian agriculture. China is looking to secure its food supply by investing in agribusiness abroad, whether by investing directly in farms or buying into supply chains. Australia is an important source of meat and to a lesser extent dairy for China, and so ChAFTA is expected to boost Chinese deals in Australia’s livestock industry.
The ChAFTA is also controversial because it contains Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions, which allow foreign investors to bypass national courts and sue governments before an arbitration tribunal for compensation if they can argue that changes to law or policy harm their investment. This gives increased power to corporations at the expense of democracy and the public interest.
Contributed by AFTINET
last update: March 2016
Articles
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6-Jun-2016 Invest in Australia Warnings over lack of safeguards in China Australia free trade ChAFTA deal
The Electrical Trades Union has lashed the Federal Government following revelations that seven Chinese workers were exploited and paid a fraction of their legal entitlements. -
15-Dec-2015 SBS Govt to forgo $4.2b in China tariffs
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4-Dec-2015 Lexology ISDS in ChAFTA - where’s the beef?
A guide to ISDS in the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement: A hollow promise or an answer to ISDS’ critics? -
26-Oct-2015 The Australian Food giant Metcash targets China’s middle class in online push
Australia’s largest food and liquor wholesaler is looking to Chinese middle-class shoppers to boost its fortunes, setting up space in one of China’s largest online shopping malls as part of a broader push into a huge market that is increasingly infatuated with Australia brands and produce. -
23-Oct-2015 Le Petit Journal ChAFTA - Opposition et gouvernement ont trouvé un accord sur le traité sino-australien
L’opposition travailliste a trouvé un accord avec le gouvernement sur le China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, après des concessions du Ministre du Commerce sur la régulation de l’immigration créée par ce traité. -
21-Oct-2015 Stock & Land Labor finally approves China-Australia free trade agreement
The China-Australia free trade agreement will come into force before the end of the year after a compromise deal was finally struck between the federal government and opposition. -
12-Oct-2015 http://www.afr.com/news/politics/co... Coalition expects to cut deal with Labor over China trade agreement
Australian Financial Review Coalition expects to cut deal with Labor over China trade agreement 12 October 2015 By Phillip Coorey There have been several discussions between Trade Minister Andrew Robb and his opposition counterpart, Penny Wong. Photo: Andrew Meares The federal government is leaning towards doing a deal with Labor on the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement but argues that such a decision would be a pragmatic one designed to get the deal in place, and not a concession (...) -
22-Sep-2015 Labor’s FTA worker test ‘discriminates against China’
Bill Shorten’s demand to impose new labour market testing requirements on Chinese workers who may come to Australia under the China-Australia free-trade agreement would involve actively discriminating against China compared with Australia’s other FTA partners, according to the think tank headed by former Labor foreign minister Bob Carr. -
18-Sep-2015 New Aussie PM Turnbull staunch supporter of China-Australia FTA
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17-Sep-2015 Red Flag Why we should oppose the free trade agreement with China
There’s freedom for the bosses to hire and fire at will and to shut down their businesses, throwing thousands onto the dole. But there’s little freedom for workers to strike for their rights. -
14-Sep-2015 The Japan Times Auto parts differences between Japan, U.S. and others seen clouding prospects for next TPP ministerial talks
The 12 countries taking part in Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade negotiations are likely to face difficulties in arranging a ministerial meeting as Japan, the United States and others were unable to narrow the gap over the automotive sector in recent working-level talks. -
14-Sep-2015 The Age How many jobs? The China-Australia Free Trade Agreement will create hardly any
The free trade deal is now about jobs, except the government has got the number all wrong. -
13-Sep-2015 The Guardian Australia’s treaty-making process is broken. The China free trade deal is a case in point
By the time a free trade agreement like Chafta reaches parliament it has already been agreed to. Democracy demands more than a ‘take it or leave it’ approach -
10-Sep-2015 France Net Infos Néonicotinoïdes, UNAF et TAFTA !
Dow AgroSciences a reçu une autorisation pour un nouveau néonicotinoïde appelé le Sulfoxaflor. Oui le TAFTA favorise les multinationales américaines. -
10-Sep-2015 The Age Free trade treaty ratification rests squarely on Executive
The government has a number of options to get the contentious China Australia Free Trade Agreement over the line. -
8-Sep-2015 The Conversation What’s really at stake if the China FTA falls through
Economic modelling demonstrates the gain in economic welfare from the three North Asian FTAs will be modest. -
4-Sep-2015 Hockey urges business to speak for FTAs
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17-Aug-2015 Mornington News ETU sparks trade debate
Frankston and Mornington residents have been receiving automated phone calls, part of a campaign by the Electrical Trades Union to “stop the China Free Trade Agreement” amid union fears electricians’ jobs are at risk. -
10-Aug-2015 The Australian Financial Review Bechtel revokes GLNG workers’ leave ahead of China FTA protest march
A protest march planned by five major trade unions over the China free-trade agreement has set on edge management at United States construction giant Bechtel -
28-Jul-2015 ABC More than 2,000 unionists rally in Brisbane to protest against China-Australia FTA
The protest marked the second national rally against the FTA, following protests at the ALP National Conference last Friday.
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Australia China Business Council
Corporate lobby group promoting Australia’s business interests towards China -
Australia-China FTA negotiations
Information page maintained by the Australian government
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21-Sep-2016 Le Monde
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19-Sep-2016 La Vanguardia
Unas 350.000 personas se manifiestan en Alemania contra el TTIP
Las protestas estuvieron marcadas por el ambiente festivo y por la demanda de un “comercio mundial justo” -
19-Sep-2016 Common Dreams
Hundreds of thousands march in Germany against TTIP, CETA
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