❓ WA Premier expresses dissatisfaction with the level of information provided by the Commonwealth regarding the Australia-United States free trade agreement and outlines steps taken to obtain more information.
AnsweredQoN 1381Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Premier’s letter to the Member for South Perth on 23 September concerning the implications of an Australia-United States free trade agreement for Western Australia. The Premier explained that he could reply only in general terms as he was not privy to details about the context of the proposed agreement, as the Commonwealth was reluctant to share the draft text. The Premier also admitted that it had not been possible to find out enough information on Australia’s negotiating position to have formed a view on the impact of the free trade agreement on Western Australia. (1) Does the Premier believe that the information the Commonwealth has provided is adequate in the Western Australian Government’s consideration of the potential impacts and implications of the free trade agreement on all industries and sectors in Western Australia? (2) If no to (1), what action has the Premier taken to pressure the Commonwealth for the draft text of the free trade agreement? Hon KIM CHANCE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Premier advises that he is not satisfied that the level of information provided by the Commonwealth is adequate. (2) He advises that he has been informed that, at this stage, each of the approximately 20 chapters of the proposed Australia-United States free trade agreement is being negotiated separately and that the Commonwealth is operating on a “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed” basis. Government officers are briefed by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade negotiators before and after each round of negotiations. The officers are taking every possible opportunity to obtain more information from the Commonwealth so that emerging issues for Western Australia are identified as soon as possible.
(1) Does the Premier believe that the information the Commonwealth has provided is adequate in the Western Australian Government’s consideration of the potential impacts and implications of the free trade agreement on all industries and sectors in Western Australia? (2) If no to (1), what action has the Premier taken to pressure the Commonwealth for the draft text of the free trade agreement? Hon KIM CHANCE replied : I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Premier advises that he is not satisfied that the level of information provided by the Commonwealth is adequate. (2) He advises that he has been informed that, at this stage, each of the approximately 20 chapters of the proposed Australia-United States free trade agreement is being negotiated separately and that the Commonwealth is operating on a “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed” basis. Government officers are briefed by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade negotiators before and after each round of negotiations. The officers are taking every possible opportunity to obtain more information from the Commonwealth so that emerging issues for Western Australia are identified as soon as possible.
(2) If no to (1), what action has the Premier taken to pressure the Commonwealth for the draft text of the free trade agreement? Hon KIM CHANCE replied : I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Premier advises that he is not satisfied that the level of information provided by the Commonwealth is adequate. (2) He advises that he has been informed that, at this stage, each of the approximately 20 chapters of the proposed Australia-United States free trade agreement is being negotiated separately and that the Commonwealth is operating on a “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed” basis. Government officers are briefed by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade negotiators before and after each round of negotiations. The officers are taking every possible opportunity to obtain more information from the Commonwealth so that emerging issues for Western Australia are identified as soon as possible.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied : I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Premier advises that he is not satisfied that the level of information provided by the Commonwealth is adequate. (2) He advises that he has been informed that, at this stage, each of the approximately 20 chapters of the proposed Australia-United States free trade agreement is being negotiated separately and that the Commonwealth is operating on a “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed” basis. Government officers are briefed by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade negotiators before and after each round of negotiations. The officers are taking every possible opportunity to obtain more information from the Commonwealth so that emerging issues for Western Australia are identified as soon as possible.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Premier advises that he is not satisfied that the level of information provided by the Commonwealth is adequate. (2) He advises that he has been informed that, at this stage, each of the approximately 20 chapters of the proposed Australia-United States free trade agreement is being negotiated separately and that the Commonwealth is operating on a “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed” basis. Government officers are briefed by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade negotiators before and after each round of negotiations. The officers are taking every possible opportunity to obtain more information from the Commonwealth so that emerging issues for Western Australia are identified as soon as possible.
(1) The Premier advises that he is not satisfied that the level of information provided by the Commonwealth is adequate. (2) He advises that he has been informed that, at this stage, each of the approximately 20 chapters of the proposed Australia-United States free trade agreement is being negotiated separately and that the Commonwealth is operating on a “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed” basis. Government officers are briefed by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade negotiators before and after each round of negotiations. The officers are taking every possible opportunity to obtain more information from the Commonwealth so that emerging issues for Western Australia are identified as soon as possible.
(2) He advises that he has been informed that, at this stage, each of the approximately 20 chapters of the proposed Australia-United States free trade agreement is being negotiated separately and that the Commonwealth is operating on a “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed” basis. Government officers are briefed by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade negotiators before and after each round of negotiations. The officers are taking every possible opportunity to obtain more information from the Commonwealth so that emerging issues for Western Australia are identified as soon as possible.
(1) Does the Premier believe that the information the Commonwealth has provided is adequate in the Western Australian Government’s consideration of the potential impacts and implications of the free trade agreement on all industries and sectors in Western Australia? (2) If no to (1), what action has the Premier taken to pressure the Commonwealth for the draft text of the free trade agreement? Hon KIM CHANCE replied : I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Premier advises that he is not satisfied that the level of information provided by the Commonwealth is adequate. (2) He advises that he has been informed that, at this stage, each of the approximately 20 chapters of the proposed Australia-United States free trade agreement is being negotiated separately and that the Commonwealth is operating on a “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed” basis. Government officers are briefed by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade negotiators before and after each round of negotiations. The officers are taking every possible opportunity to obtain more information from the Commonwealth so that emerging issues for Western Australia are identified as soon as possible.
(2) If no to (1), what action has the Premier taken to pressure the Commonwealth for the draft text of the free trade agreement? Hon KIM CHANCE replied : I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Premier advises that he is not satisfied that the level of information provided by the Commonwealth is adequate. (2) He advises that he has been informed that, at this stage, each of the approximately 20 chapters of the proposed Australia-United States free trade agreement is being negotiated separately and that the Commonwealth is operating on a “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed” basis. Government officers are briefed by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade negotiators before and after each round of negotiations. The officers are taking every possible opportunity to obtain more information from the Commonwealth so that emerging issues for Western Australia are identified as soon as possible.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied : I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Premier advises that he is not satisfied that the level of information provided by the Commonwealth is adequate. (2) He advises that he has been informed that, at this stage, each of the approximately 20 chapters of the proposed Australia-United States free trade agreement is being negotiated separately and that the Commonwealth is operating on a “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed” basis. Government officers are briefed by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade negotiators before and after each round of negotiations. The officers are taking every possible opportunity to obtain more information from the Commonwealth so that emerging issues for Western Australia are identified as soon as possible.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Premier advises that he is not satisfied that the level of information provided by the Commonwealth is adequate. (2) He advises that he has been informed that, at this stage, each of the approximately 20 chapters of the proposed Australia-United States free trade agreement is being negotiated separately and that the Commonwealth is operating on a “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed” basis. Government officers are briefed by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade negotiators before and after each round of negotiations. The officers are taking every possible opportunity to obtain more information from the Commonwealth so that emerging issues for Western Australia are identified as soon as possible.
(1) The Premier advises that he is not satisfied that the level of information provided by the Commonwealth is adequate. (2) He advises that he has been informed that, at this stage, each of the approximately 20 chapters of the proposed Australia-United States free trade agreement is being negotiated separately and that the Commonwealth is operating on a “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed” basis. Government officers are briefed by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade negotiators before and after each round of negotiations. The officers are taking every possible opportunity to obtain more information from the Commonwealth so that emerging issues for Western Australia are identified as soon as possible.
(2) He advises that he has been informed that, at this stage, each of the approximately 20 chapters of the proposed Australia-United States free trade agreement is being negotiated separately and that the Commonwealth is operating on a “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed” basis. Government officers are briefed by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade negotiators before and after each round of negotiations. The officers are taking every possible opportunity to obtain more information from the Commonwealth so that emerging issues for Western Australia are identified as soon as possible.
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