Australia Supports the Listing of Chrysotile Asbestos in Rotterdam
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Australia News VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 J U N E 2 0 1 1 Australian High Commission Ottawa NDP meets Australia supports the listing of chrysotile Ottawa’s 3 asbestos in Rotterdam Convention diplomats Australia took a prominent role at the re- about whether to accept it and if so under cent fifth meeting of the Rotterdam Con- what conditions. Minister’s vention (on Prior Informed Consent Proce- dure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and The Convention operates on consensus statement on 4 Pesticides in International Trade) in argu- and, as in the past, Canada - accompanied trade ing for the listing of chrysotile asbestos on by a handful of developing countries - Annex III of the Convention. opposed the listing. Australia prepared a closing declaration on chrysotile asbestos, Canada hosts Such a listing does not ban or restrict inter- recommitting to its listing, which was agriculture 6 national trade in the product but requires a signed by more than sixty member coun- ministers prior informed consent procedure that re- tries. The US, which has not ratified the quires the exporting country to give notifi- Convention, made a strong statement sup- cation and relevant information on the risks porting listing. Education 9 associated with the product so that the im- linkages porter can make an informed judgement The issue will be revisited at the next Rotterdam Convention in 2013. ANZAC Day in 13 High Commissioner presents Governor General’s Award Canada On 28 May the High Commissioner participated in the presentation of the Governor General's Award in Canadian Immigration Studies to Dr Gerry Turcotte (pictured). 14 news Dr Turcotte recently left the position of Executive Dean of the University of Out and about Notre Dame in Australia to become President of St Mary's University with the High 16 College in Calgary. Commissioner AUSTRALIA NEWS JUNE 2011 P A G E 1 -COMMONWEALTH NEWS- Perth prepares for CHOGM Prime Minister Gillard will chair the Common- Historically, CHOGM has given significant wealth Heads of Government Meeting impetus to initiatives of global significance, (CHOGM) that will take place in Perth, West- developing collective responses to such issues ern Australia on 28-30 October 2011. Com- as human rights abuses and climate change. A monwealth leaders from around the world, in- major focus of CHOGM 2011 will be on the cluding Prime Minister Harper will discuss report of the Eminent Persons Group into ways global issues and future directions for the to strengthen the Commonwealth. Commonwealth. chogm2011.org Commonwealth Business Forum The Commonwealth Busi- attended by a number of rep- Pacific Rim‗. It will highlight ness Forum (CBF) will be resentatives from the Cana- global economic partnerships held in Perth on 25-27 Octo- dian business community. for trade and investment, pro- ber, just prior to the Com- The launch was addressed by viding an opportunity to at- monwealth Heads of Govern- a senior member of the Com- tract a senior business audi- ment Meeting (CHOGM). monwealth Business Council. ence to Australia from a range of key Commonwealth On 16 June the High Com- The theme of the CBF will be countries. It is anticipated missioner and Consul- ‗Participating for Global that attendance will include General in Toronto launched Growth: The Common- 1000 delegates from 51 coun- the CBF at a special event wealth, Indian Ocean and the tries, 10 Heads of Govern- ment and 40 Ministers. Interested Canadian business representatives are invited to participate in the Forum. cbf2011.com (L-R) The High Commissioner, Gregor Mackinnon (Commonwealth Business Council), Stefan Trofimovs (Consul General) and Feroz Ashraf (SNC Lavalin). AUSTRALIA NEWS JUNE 2011 P A G E 2 -NEWS- Official opposition meets diplomatic corps Several members of the offi- cial opposition, New Democ- ratic Party, were able to meet members of the Ottawa diplo- matic corps at an event held at the High Commissioner‘s resi- dence on 14 June. Paul Dewar MP, Foreign Af- fairs Critic since 2007, spoke about the NDP‘s broad ap- proach to foreign policy, while other leading NDP critics in- troduced themselves and ex- plained their visions and pri- orities as newly appointed MPs. Deputy High Commissioner corps to get to know some key relationships with partners Bruce Soar said of the event, members of the new official from around the world.‖ ―It was a great opportunity for opposition. They were clearly the members of the diplomatic very keen to start building Canadian lands prime post in state parliament of NSW Walt Secord, a Mohawk-Ojibway native, has 1988. He became an Australian citizen in 1992. been elected to the state parliament of New South Wales in the electorate of Tamworth. Mr Secord spent time as a journalist and an elec- tion campaign strategist for the Australian Labor Born in Canada, Mr Secord graduated with a Party before becoming Chief of Staff to former Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from York Univer- NSW Premier Kristina Keneally. He is now a sity in Toronto before migrating to Australia in part of the official NSW state opposition. OECD puts Australia at number one in Better Life Index The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development‘s (OECD) 2011 Better Life In- dex has ranked Australia and Canada as the top two countries for overall quality of life. The Better Life Index examines areas including education, health, literacy, sense of community, employment, time devoted to leisure and personal care. Both Australia and Canada scored well in almost all categories, with Australia narrowly coming out on top. oecd.org AUSTRALIA NEWS JUNE 2011 P A G E 3 -TRADE UPDATES- Government’s Trade Policy Statement Australia‘s Minister for Trade, Dr Craig Emer- 1) unilateralism - the pursuit of ongoing, trade- son, has released the Australian Government's related economic reform without waiting for trade policy statement: Trading our way to other countries to reform their trade policies; more jobs and prosperity. 2) non-discrimination - not seeking exclusive or entrenched preferential access to other coun- The statement reinforces the Government's tries‘ markets; commitment to multilateral trade liberalisation. 3) separation – not letting foreign policy con- It also emphasises that Australia continues to siderations override trade policy; press ahead with negotiating high-quality bilat- 4) transparency – keeping the public informed eral and regional free trade agreements. of the nature and progress of negotiations, and subjecting final trade deals to parliamentary The statement sets out five principles that will scrutiny; and guide Australian trade policy: 5) the indivisibility of trade policy and wider economic reform. trademinister.gov.au Trade Minister launches report on financial services in China Dr Emerson has launched the Australian of Australia's financial services providers, and Chamber of Commerce's (AustCham's) first their contribution to the development of the Issues Paper on the Australian financial sector Chinese financial services sector. in China. In launching the paper, he noted that the focus of future bilateral trade between the The paper provides recommendations to en- two countries would increasingly be on ser- hance the ability of Australian financial institu- vices. tions to be more competitive in the Chinese market. The paper, produced by AustCham's Beijing and Shanghai members, highlights the strength trademinister.gov.au Running for a good cause (L-R) The High Commissioner, Pat Farmer, Canadian Minister of State (Sport) Bal Gosal, National Director of Red Cross Canada Pam Aung Thin on Parliament Hill. (See story next page.) AUSTRALIA NEWS JUNE 2011 P A G E 4 -NEWS- Australian Think Tank Corner The Lowy Institute Australian Strategic Policy The Centre for Independent Institute Studies The Lowy Institute's most re- cent brief considers the rise of In its most recent policy analy- Following the imposition of China, the risk of conflict in sis, the ASPI outlines a series new electoral financing and the western Pacific, and impli- of recommendations on how expenditure restrictions in two cations for Australia. In a Australia can be better pre- Australian states, the CIS criti- separate China-related publi- pared for and recover from cally reviews these attempts at cation, Lowy interviews Chi- future natural disasters. In an- 'limiting undue influence'. It nese investors about attitudes other publication released to argues that campaign finance toward investing in Australia. mark Cyber Security Week, reforms make political activity ASPI examines public policy so complex and bureaucratic Dr Michael Wesley, Executive issues raised by the increased that they may pose risks for Director of the Institute, has dependence on computer net- ordinary citizens. released a book, There Goes works and the growing hostile the Neighbourhood, examining activity targeted at those net- cis.org.au the international challenges of works. critical importance to Australia in the decades ahead. aspi.org.au lowyinstitute.org Australian Pat Farmer runs through Canada Pat Farmer, a former Austra- raise money for The Red Parliament Hill to raise aware- lian MP, world record ultra Cross‘ clean water program. ness for his campaign. There marathon runner and philan- he met Canadian Minister of thropist is running from the On 3 June, Pat ran through Ot- State (Sport) Bal Gosal, Na- North to the South Pole to tawa and found time to stop at tional Director of Red Cross Canada Pam Aung Thin and the High Commissioner. Pat‘s run will continue through the Americas for much of the year before he finishes his journey in Antarctica. Donations to the Red Cross through Pat‘s website are tax deductible in Canada, USA and Australia. poletopolerun.com AUSTRALIA NEWS JUNE 2011 P A G E 5 -TRADE NEWS- Canada to host Cairns Group Canada will host the annual Cairns Group ministerial meet- ing in Saskatoon this Septem- ber. The Cairns Group is a unique coalition of 19 agricultural ex- porting countries with a com- mitment to agricultural trade liberalisation and reform.