As part of rallies being held across Australia to protest the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, today there was a rally in Perth hosted by the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network, UnionsWA and The Greens.  

Quotes attributable to Dr Patricia Ranald, Convener of the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network:

“The TPP is not about free trade, but gives more rights to corporations at the expense of people’s rights.

"It will give foreign investors the right to bypass national courts and sue our governments for millions of dollars in unfair tribunals over health and environmental laws.”

Quotes attributable to Meredith Hammat, Secretary of UnionsWA:

“The TPP has very weak, unenforceable commitments on labour rights, posing a risk to working people in Australia and proposed trading countries, many of which are developing. Australia would have to compete with the products of under-paid, exploited and even child and slave labour.

"The TPP would allow more temporary migrants to work in Australia, putting them at risk of exploitation and removing requirements for employers to evidence that locals might be able to fill vacancies first.” 

Quotes attributable to Greens Co-Deputy Leader  Senator Scott Ludlam:

“Over 300,000 Australians have signed petitions against the TPP. We want to send a strong message that the TPP is bad for our environment and bad for our democracy.”

"The TPP would be disastrous for our planet, giving companies the power to subvert measures that prevent dangerous global warming. Companies could bypass regulation of mining, land use and bio-technology.”