Fed: Democrats say FTA report is flawed

AAP General News (Australia)
04-30-2004
Fed: Democrats say FTA report is flawed

The Australian Democrats say a report that's found the proposed United States-Australia
Free Trade Agreement will boost Australia's economy seems too good to be true.

A government-commissioned report by the Centre for International Economics has found
the deal could boost Australia's gross domestic product by $6 billion a year within ten
years.

Democrats trade spokesman AIDEN RIDGEWAY says initial economic modelling done by the
Centre was criticised for using unrealistic assumptions, and the latest report seems no
different.

Senator RIDGEWAY says the report doesn't take into account the costs of dealing with
relaxed quarantine rules and declining Australian cultural content in the media under
the deal.

He's also questioned the timing of the report's release -- just days before Prime Minister
JOHN HOWARD and US President GEORGE W BUSH are due to sign the deal.

AAP RTV pj/mj/rt

KEYWORD: TRADE US DEMOCRATS (CANBERRA)

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