Unions rally against China Free Trade Agreement
Channel: Workers BushTelegraph
Date: 2015-07-27

The China-Australia free trade agreement is a wide-ranging agreement between Australia and China that was negotiated in secret without public or parliamentary input. 

The Murdoch Press claim that unions oppose the FTA because of racism. Yet unions represent all cultural backgrounds in a multicultural society. They respond that they want good standards for all workers and do not wish other workers to be exploited.

Free Trade Agreement is a misnomer, it is really a restricted trade agreement with specific benefits for particular industries like mining. With Gina Reinhart, Clive Palmer and Twiggy Forest trying hard to exploit aboriginal Australians by stealing their land and exploiting Fly-in-Fly-out (FIFO) workers. Where is the benefit of support coal and iron ore export that ruins the environment and destroys the ground water forever?

Do mines create jobs?
Recently Indian corporate giant, Adani, claimed that there are 10,000 new jobs at the Carmichael mine in Central Queensland on  Wangan and Jagalingou Traditional Land. Sean Ryan (EDO) said at most there would be 1,464 jobs on offer if the Adani project goes ahead.

Twiggy Forest claimed that his company would create 50,000 new jobs in iron ore in Western Australia for Aboriginal people. This was a saleman's con to get Aboriginal people to give up more land.

It gives Chinese companies preferential treatment in Australia.

Some clauses contained within the agreement are alarming and could seriously undermine the safety and integrity of our trade and rob Australian workers of opportunities. 

Any claimed benefits are far outweighed by the damage it does to working Australians.

Ian Curr
28 July 2015