Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Trade, Senator Conroy. It relates to reports that the government has agreed to set aside the question of investor state dispute settlement in current negotiations of the Transpacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement. Especially given Australia's leadership on plain packaging for cigarettes, will the minister now give the Senate an unequivocal assurance that Australia not only will set aside but will not sign any partnership agreement that allows foreign companies to sue an Australian government because Australian law reduces their profits or adversely affects their business?