Fed: Show us your FTA amendment, PM challenges ALP

AAP General News (Australia)
08-06-2004
Fed: Show us your FTA amendment, PM challenges ALP

CANBERRA, Aug 6 AAP - Prime Minister John Howard today challenged Labor to produce
its proposed trade agreement amendment.

Mr Howard said the government would consider any proposal as long as it would not damage
Australian patent law.

Speaking shortly before boarding an aircraft bound for the Pacific Islands Forum in
Western Samoa this morning, Mr Howard said the government still believed there was no
further need to change the free trade agreement legislation.

He said the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme remained rock solid and the government had
done nothing to compromise it.

Mr Howard said it did seem that Opposition Leader Mark Latham had shifted his position
from last week.

"He is now talking about a different kind of amendment than he was on Tuesday," he
told reporters.

"The next step in this matter is for him to produce that amendment so we can have a look at it."

Mr Howard said the government continued to believe this was unnecessary.

"However, if the Labor Party has an amendment that is not damaging to the patent law
of this country, and that would not be desirable, well let it bring it forward and let
us have a look at it."

Mr Howard said securing the agreement with the United States was far more important
than any temporary political advantage that the government or the opposition might gain.

He said the national interest required both the government and opposition to deliver
on the free trade agreement.

"Political advantage for either side, certainly in the short term, is quite secondary
to the national interest that is involved in delivering the free trade agreement."

AAP mb/jlw/it

KEYWORD: TRADE US HOWARD

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