Vic WTO Watch is an informal
network of campaigners who are advocates for fair trade
and who oppose radical trade liberalisation. If you would
like to share and receive daily e-mail updates on trade
issues from an environmental, labour and human rights
perspective please direct your request to the list
convenors.
by Dr Bernard Barrett,
historian
Forwarded to the Office
of the Ombudsman, Victoria, 15 November 2000
(Revised 28 November
2000)
From 1977 until he retired in 1993, the author was the
State Historian for the Government of Victoria,responsible
for promoting research and public awareness about Victoria’s
cultural heritage.
Extracts from this report
form the basis of a complaint to the
Australian Press Council, 1 December 2000 on behalf of
Friends of the Earth,
Geelong Community Forum,
Earthworker
& Victorian
Council of Civil Liberties (Liberty Victoria).
Read
a report back from the Press Council Hearing
Read
the ruling of the Press Council
Page
Index
Demand
Fair Trade, Not WTO Free Trade
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A useful summary of
GATS terminology and Australia's current
negotiating position:
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First published in
the
ALP Conference Edition of Socialist Objective:
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A project by Craig
Bellamy, PhD Candidate, RMIT University
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Join
AFTINET
Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network
GLOBAL
CAMPAIGN WEBLIOGRAPHY
Submissions on Australia's
Relationship to the WTO:
We understand that the Inquiry is still accepting
submissions.
The Melbourne hearing
dates are 26-27th April. Venue to be confirmed.
Read
the Inquiry's Terms of Reference Here...
Click
here to find out more from Brian Jenkin's JSCT
page...
WRITING TIP:
A submission doesn't need
to be complicated;it can be a letter or an e-mail,
or something more elaborate. To keep it simple
choose a theme, such as environment or labor rights,
and start there. The most important rules you
need to understand are:
The Most Favoured
Nation (MSN) principle which means that
all 135 members of the WTO are entitled
to the treatment which is no less favourable than
a state gives its most-favoured trading partner;
and
The National
Treatment (NT) principle means that imported
and locally produced goods should be treated equally.
The same should apply to foreign and domestic
services, as well as to foreign and local trademarks,
copyrights and patents.
In plain language, MFN and NT mean
that governments cannot descriminate against foreign
companies which must be given the same treatment
as domestic companies. They are understood in
slightly different ways in the GATT - General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, the GATS - General
Agreement on Trade in Services and the TRIPS -
Agreement on Trade Related Intellectual Property
Rights. Keep in mind that the GATS are adopted
sector by sector which means that significant
areas are still not fully liberalised such as
health and education. In other words, there are
still ways to influence Australia's position before
it makes permanent
commitments under the GATS.
Good luck with your submission...
Serena.
Al Griffith's Background
on the WTO
Al Griffith's WTO Inquiry Submission Guide 2-8-2000
(Or download both of Al's
docs in rtf format from s11.org
)
Australian
Consevation Foundation on Environment and Trade
APHEDA
Union Aid Abroad on a Labour Standards Clause
How
the WTO Affects Australia:
| Choose
a topic and wait a few moments for it to load.
Contact Alan
if you have a WTO article you would like to
publish here. |
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Controversial
UN Report: Globalization and its Impact
Ten
Reasons to Dismantle the WTO
Free
Trade or Fair Trade?
New
Citizen's Guide to the WTO
Hansard
30-8-2000: World Trade Organization-
Dispute Settlement System
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Say
'No!' to the World Economic Forum
The Age Issues
2000
Collected Articles on the World Economic Forum protests.
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Anti-WEF
Events in Melbourne
during September
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| Other Event Calendars |
www.globaljustice2000.com
http://southmovement.alphalink.com.au/events/
www.s11.org/events.html
www.antimedia.net/s11awol/calender.html
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Thurs
7th |
Development Challenges in the Global Economy
ACFOA NGO Forum.
REGISTER!
Speakers include: Meena Ramon, Shelly Emalin Rao,
Prof. John Braithwaite, Cam Walker, Dr Patricia
Ranald, Jagjit Plahe, Janet Hunt.
9:00am-5:30pm North Melbourne Town Hall
Cnr Queensbury & Errol Streets.
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Fri
8th |
Trade Union Conference |
Sat
9th |
People's Conference with Earthworker,
Public First, South
Movement, NGOs and Church Groups
Speakers include:
Dr Patricia Ranald (AFTINET)
John Maitland (National Secretary, CFMEU)
Bob Phelps (Gene
Ethics Network)
Walden Bello
Professor Jane Kelsey
REGISTER!
8:30am-5:30pm Victoria University of Technology,
254 Flinders Street Melbourne.
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Sun
10th |
S10 Celebration Day. High profile
speakers and festival with Victorian
Trades Hall Council, Jubilee
2000 & other NGOs.
OTHER
VOICES OTHER VALUES
& JUBILEE 2000 OTHER VALUES FESTIVAL
An alternative forum on globalisation and its impact
on workers, the poor, the environment, culture and
human rights.
Sunday 10 September
12.00 noon - 2.30pm
Regent Theatre
191 Collins Street Melbourne
National and International speakers including:
Walden Bello, author, journalist, and progressive
activist for people-centred development and community
solidarity.
Following this is the Jubilee 2000 Other
Values Festival- Batman Park (on the Yarra near
World Trade Centre)
Celebrating Diversity and Community. Sponsored
by a Coalition of Union, Faith, Aid, Community,
Indigenous and Environmental Organisations.
ALSO:
GLOBAL
CAPITALISM: LOCAL RESPONSES
Sponsored by the Stegley Foundation
& RMIT School of Science and Social Planning.
9:00am-5:30pm
RMIT Storey Hall
Swanston Street Melbourne
Registration: $25 or $10 concession/community
action groups. Contact Gillian
Davy on 03 9925 2910..
Keynote speaker: DR VANDANA SHIVA at 2:00pm..
Read a transcript of her 2000 BBC Reith Lecture:
'Poverty
and Globalisation'. Dr Shiva is a director of
the International
Forum on Globalization.
ALSO:
An
Evening with Dr Vandana Shiva
DATE: Sunday, September10,
2000
TIME: 6.45 PM for 7.00 PM
VENUE: Albert Park on the Lake
Aughtie Drive, South Melbourne 3205
Registration: $100 or $75 concession
[subsidy for activists]
Proceeds to be donated to underfunded women-centred
projects in Australia, South Asia and Beyond.
BOOKINGS: 9822 8858 [Onnie] or 0417
519 460 [Lynette]
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Mon
11th |
s11.org
- Shut down the World Economic Forum September
11-13th, at the Crown Casino starting from 7:00am.
(See also s11
AWOL)
Find out more about the peaceful protests -
The Green Block
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Tues
12th
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A Fair Share For Workers: "In the
lead up to the World Economic Forum we must speak
out about the lack of regulation of global capital,
the damage of free trade and the irresponsible behaviour
of Multinational Corporations."
TRADE
UNION RALLY!
Rally at Victorian Trades
Hall Council, Carlton 10:30am
(marching to Enterprise Park on Yarra River opposite
Casino near Old Customs House by 11.15am.
Sponsored by Victorian
Trades Hall Council and Australian
Council of Trade Unions:
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(The convenors of VicWTOWatch
support non-violent direct action during protests
against the WEF.)
Background
on the World Economic Forum
World Economic Forum's Official Website
World
Economic Forum Under Investigation
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A
Day of Reflection and Strategy
"From
Seattle to Prague via Melbourne"
Saturday,
November 11th
Old Arts Building
Melbourne University
9:00am to 5:00pm
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CONFERENCE REGISTRATION
Thank
you to everyone who participated in N11. Watch
this space for transcripts of the opening and
closing plenary.
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Links to Articles on Globalisation
Hunter,
Allen. (1995). "Globalization from Below? Promises and
Perils of the New Internationalism"
Aaron
Cosby (1998). "International Trade and its Environmental
Integrity"
David
Barsamian (1998) Richard Grossman on "Challenging
Corporate Power"
Preamble
Centre (1998) "Globalisation for Whom?" (Cornell
International Law Journal, 1998 Symposium Issue, Vol.
31, #3)
Appleton
& Associates (1998) The Environment and the MAI
Corporate
Europe Observatory "WTO Millennium Bug: TNC Control
over
Global Trade Politics". Issue no. 4 July 1999
The
Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy.
(1999) "MIAs (Multilateral Investment Agreements) in the
Year 2000"
May
2000, "Your Voice at Work," International Labour Organisation
(ILO). Globalisation Threatens Workers' Rights
Preposed
Singapore Free Trade Agreement
(Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa)
August
20000, Canadian Security Intelligence Service Report #
2000/08
ANTI-GLOBALIZATION - A SPREADING PHENOMENON
Media Articles on Globalisation
20
April 1999 TRADE INDIA - New Patent Law Challenged in
Indian Supreme Court
Wednesday
May 26, 1999, Australia says it will consider WTO ruling
on leather
December
03, 1999. Business Review Weekly. "Globalisation
Too Far Away" (Article condemning Australia's involvement
in the WTO negotiations)
21
March, 2000, The Age, Canberra braces for salmon blow
WTO
Director General Faces Protests in India
Yahoo
News: World Trade Organization and Trade Issues (Current
articles)
25
August 2000, The Age, What is s11?
13
August 2000, Background Briefing, It's the Left, Jim,
But not as We Know It
Searchable
Mainstream Media Archives
