Havachat: Free, fair or foolish? The Australian-US FTA - Day 5

Let the reader judge. There are three simple questions. One, are your fears well-founded? Two, are my estimations of the impact correct? And three, if the answer to both is yes, is the downside of your fears greater than the upside of the benefits?

You argue that opposition to an FTA is surging. The range of submissions to the Government and to the Senate enquiry don’t suggest this. Fifty people supporting a bad claim doesn’t make it a good one. A popular view today in some quarters is that “voices” are legitimate, regardless of what is being said. Most people don’t agree with that. They know that Collingwood does not deserve to be a grand finalist just because it has more supporters than anyone else.

The demonstrations at the Sydney WTO Ministerial conference last showed how small anti-free trade sentiment is in this country. Those who are genuinely skeptical about whether an agreement can produce an effective result have a stronger case. The answer to them is to wait and see.

Let us encourage people to make their minds about each issue. Our meat, dairy, sugar, wine, steel, automobile, packaging, retail, telecommunications, minerals, financial, pharmaceutical, and media industries regard this is a major opportunity to expand and grow. Readers don’t have to take my word for it, they should ask industry leaders. And I’ll bet MPs will pay close attention to how industries in their electorates think an agreement will benefit them.

You can criticise me for believing in free trade. It’s true. But I don’t believe in anything unless it works. We tested an alternative for 70 years – Soviet communism. What a dismal failure. If there is surfeit of ideology, Doug, it is the civil society/fair trade case you associate with. The fact it cannot be simply stated should be a warning. You said you had “reservations” about the model of governance in the WTO, World Bank and IMF and concerns about sovereignty. Just what does that mean? It sound unconvincing and that’s because it is.

I can understand that a number of Australians are leery about an FTA with the US because they opposed the war in Iraq. In international affairs and particularly trade, successful countries can always identify their enlightened self interest and act to advance it.

The principal economic beneficiary from an FTA with the US will be Australia. This will mean more jobs and more secure future for Australians in the Information Age global economy. They will notice the benefit and they won’t be required to salute the Stars and Stripes every morning or see the world differently. You underrate the power of the pull of Australian culture and how much Australians enjoy it. And they will enjoy it a lot more if the economic future is more secure.

Alan

Reader Poll: What do you think? Vote on the issue and make your view count, click here. (As you would expect from OLO this is not a "quickie" online poll. Your views will be properly analysed and represented).

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