Conflicting claims about the benefits of free trade, some moves in the U.S. towards greater protectionism, and ambitious proposals to create an Asia-Pacific Free Trade Area form the backdrop to an upcoming Symposium in Canberra.
The 2009 Fulbright Symposium, hosted by UQ’s TC Beirne School of Law and supported by the Australian-American Fulbright Commission, will focus attention on the impact of the US-Australia Free Trade Agreement and how it has fared in a changing economic and political environment, and provide a forum to discuss the future of the trade relations between Australia, the United States, and the Asia-Pacific Region.
“Just last week we’ve seen competing claims from government and the ACTU on the benefits of free trade and the need to protect Australian jobs”, said Kimberlee Weatherall, co- convener of the Symposium.
“We need to discuss the impact of changing times on existing and future trade agreements.”
In addition to sessions on the future of trade policy and trade relations, the symposium will provide opportunities for more detailed debate on a range of specific policy areas. These include intellectual property, agriculture, television and film content and funding rules, financial services, public procurement, and pharmaceuticals and health policy.
Speakers include The Hon. Mark Vaile, Former Minister for Trade, who was responsible for the development and implementation of the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement, and Professor Mac Destler from the University of Maryland, a leading American expert on trade policy. The symposium also includes a number of well known economic and trade experts from government, industry, think tanks and academia.
The symposium titled “US-Australia Free Trade Agreement: the last 5 years, the next 5 years” will be held on 24-25 August 2009 at Old Parliament House, Canberra.
Full details of the conference and a complete list of speakers are available at
www.law.uq.edu.au/fulbright2009. Registrations are now open and early bird discounts are closing shortly.
Funding to host the Fulbright Symposium is awarded by the Australian-American Fulbright Commission to only one organisation each year to further the Commission’s mission of “promoting mutual understanding between the peoples of the United States and Australia through educational and cultural exchange.”
Media: For more information and interviews contact Dr Robert Burrell (telephone 0450 319 855 or r.burrell@law.uq.edu.au)