Australia appears to be the lone holdout – for now – to a key section of the Trans-Pacific Partnership that details how multinational companies could take legal actions against governments over decisions they consider detrimental to their interests.
A Senate inquiry has recommended against passing a bill that would bar Australia from entering into trade agreements that include so-called 'investor-state dispute settlement' clauses.
A class of provisions in free trade agreements that allow foreign investors to take legal action over government decisions they consider detrimental to their interests could hamper future action on excessive pricing of IT products in Australia, an ANU academic has warned.
The Korea-Australia Free Trade Agreement grants "super powers" to intellectual property owners, according to IP expert Dr Matthew Rimmer, an associate professor at the ANU College of Law and an Australian Research Council Future Fellow.