Ausbuy

Environmental Policy

July 30th, 2007

Ausbuy is well aware of the present threats to our environment and believe this situation should be urgently addressed. However, we don’t claim to know the answers and will leave this to the environmental experts. There are, however, some points to be made on how environmental concerns are also tied up in trade.

At present, trade agreements are negotiated and ratified without concern for the environment of either country and Ausbuy believes the government can no longer ignore this vital area. The lack of environmental concerns in China should have our government putting this on the negotiating table to ensure Australians aren’t buying products that cause severe environmental damage in China in order to cut costs in China’s race to the bottom in environmental standards providing cheap disposable products to the west. China is not alone in this regard however, and as most countries refuse to have environmental concerns on the negotiating table, this suggestion is a long way from solving the problem of how to force major polluting and environmentally destructive countries to become accountable.

As a part of this, Ausbuy would not like to see Australia’s environment threatened as part of any free trade agreement. The agreement with America and our membership of the World Trade Organisation has threatened Australia’s unique environment, with foreign countries arguing that our strict quarantine standards are a hindrance to trade and create protectionist systems for our farmers and manufacturers. Australia has one of the world’s most vibrant and fragile ecosystems and this is supported through our tough stance on imports. Ausbuy does not believe our wildlife should be threatened by multinational companies. It is too valuable. Our quarantine standards should remain despite external pressures, and the Australian Government should be able to determine these laws alone without pressure from trade organisations. In its turn Australia must ensure that our quarantine laws are backed by reputable scientific evidence to ensure these laws are fair in terms of world trade. We must be responsible and ensure the laws we pass, and the protections we support, are not there for our trade advantage as this would be an irresponsible act in itself.

We also believe in our right to keep our monopolistic utilities in public hands. Australia has in the past come under fire from countries, such as America, for protecting sectors from competition from outside this country. In particular, our health care, education and utilities have been questioned. In a country as dry as Australia, we believe our water organisations should never by privatised if there is no competition and that this protection is warranted and essential. Ausbuy could not agree to Australians having to purchase water harvested domestically from a multinational organisation and no alternative source.

In further protecting our fragile ecosystem, Ausbuy is against the Victorian Government decision not to renew its ban on GE produce. This means that as early as 2008, GE crops can be planted in Victoria with no way of containing them within this state. Supporting groups, who are mostly scientists and seed patent owners, have argued farmers are set to gain on switching to GE crops, which they claim are easier and cheaper to grow. Ausbuy believes our farmers can gain through their status as clean, green and GE free, as Australia would be one of the few farming nations that can make this claim. At the very least, Ausbuy believes more research should be undertaken before lifting the ban. As the world becomes more environmentally conscious, Australia’s clean green image would become more valuable.

At present Australian trade and our trade figures rely enormously on mineral resources. Whilst minerals keep Australia in the black each year, there is a possible finite limit to these minerals, and due to the environmental damage caused by mining, we believe the government should be developing other sectors to eventually replace these resources on the world market. We have been alarmed to see both parties watch the decline in our manufacturing capabilities.

Ausbuy believes that world trade negotiations are a perfect forum in which to pressure countries to reduce their emissions and make a commitment to embrace a more environmental responsible attitude to manufacturing and transport. Australia needs to investigate renewable energies to this end. As technological developments may not only offer a solution to global warming, but also provide trade opportunities.

Ausbuy believes the people can all do their bit to support the environment through their purchasing decisions. By supporting Australian manufacturers and farmers, by buying locally, cuts transport costs and the resources required to move products from overseas into supermarkets. We can purchase fruit and vegetables from farmers markets within our community and always buy Australian made and owned, if not community made and owned. This will ensure the profits stay local and the cost on the environment is minimised.

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