"Australia's 99% are surely no different in their history, their expectations and their demands.

But it's hard to tell with their media's laryngitis on this issue."

Exactly. Why for example offer some members of parliament the opportunity to view the draft agreement, but no notes, no copies, and not allowed to speak about it for four years. If it was such a good deal, why the secrecy?

The answer is very obvious and was spelt out by Obama in two recent speeches. He wants America to write the rules while it still can; i.e. before rising Chinese power takes away the last vestiges of American power.

Only 5 of the 29 chapters are about trade. The rest write new rules for the benefit of US corporations. The most insidious is the ISDR provisions that will set up a mechanism under which secret tribunals will be able to overrule national legislation, with no right of review or appeal.

This is a fundamentally undemocratic proposal and Australia should have nothing to do with it.

Good! Something as fundamentally flawed as that, and crafted for the corporation, by the corporation, and of the corporation; needs to be jettisoned, and replaced by something that is able like our other FTA's, able to be done under the light of unfettered observation.

The fact that the proposal needed to be conducted in absolute secrecy, meant there was much to hide!?

Well, if there's another valid reason, what could it be? Close your eyes, hold your nose and swallow!

And given that much to hide, an absolute dog of an agreement for everyone, except the contributing and or controlling corporations?

Start again and with all the proposals well and truly on the public table!

Do it right once and it'll never need be done again; and that means something that well and truly passes the no disadvantage test!
Rhrosty.

Seeing this bill passed is the whole purpose of Obamas's Presidency.
The reason its secret is because its a corporate fascist takeover.
The rights of corporations will supersede the rights of governments and its citizens.
Obama's now got another 6 weeks to find some senators to bribe or blackmail and get it through.

I hope it is delayed to the next Presidency. The O has stuffed everything he touches up and I am sure would rip failure from success if it went ahead now.

James your comment

"The answer is very obvious and was spelt out by Obama in two recent speeches. He wants America to write the rules while it still can; i.e. before rising Chinese power takes away the last vestiges of American power".

is dead right.

What better proof that the TPP is NOT really about trade (from the US perspective) is to consider that over three quarters of US trade is conducted within the parameters of NAFTA.

Putting aside what is and what is not in America's interest, excluding China and India from the TPP is not in Australia's interest.

And Australia's interest is all that should matter to the overpaid in Canberra.

Thank you Jonathon. If you ae interested in a fuller discussion of the topic I have an article forthcoming in New Eastern Outlook. Ironic that Australia has just concluded a free trade agreement with China, yet is willing to sign up to the TPP which is anti Chinese in its genesis and intended implementation.