Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 695.

Leave granted.

I move the motion as amended:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that the Malaysian Government:

(i) is undertaking a cost-benefit analysis of the impact of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (the Agreement) to inform its cabinet and parliamentary decision making processes prior to signing any deal, and

(ii) is stating that they will not sign the Agreement unless it proves to be in Malaysia's interest to do so; and

(b) calls on the Australian Government to request that the Productivity Commission undertake a comprehensive socio-economic cost-benefit inquiry into the impact of the TPP on Australia; and

(c) reiterates the order of the Senate agreed of 11 December 2013 requiring the Minister representing the Minister for Trade to table the full text of the Agreement at least 14 days before signing.

Mr President, I seek leave to make a very short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Any thinking, intelligent person would think it was reasonable, before this country—

Senator Abetz interjecting—

I will take that interjection—there may not be as many as I would hope in the chamber, but nevertheless! Any intelligent person would think it would be a very reasonable thing to do before our country signed up to one of the biggest deregulation agendas it has seen, in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, to at least do a social and economic cost-benefit analysis. That is exactly what Malaysia are doing and they are not going to sign this deal unless it is in their country's interests. The only reason we do not do it in this country is that the political imperative is that this government wants to sign up to trade deals to get more headlines. This analysis is something this country needs to do. We need scrutiny on this secretive deal and this is a measure that I ask the Senate to support.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the motion moved by Senator Whish-Wilson, as amended, be agreed to.