One point on the pharmaceuticals, we do not subsidise just Australian made products, the subsidies are part of our health care system, which means, if we import product from the US, and it is prescribed by a persons doctor, and it is on the list of subsidised products, then the subsidy applies, it has not impact on US imports, further more if Mr Howard was to drop a major part of our government healt policy to satisfy the US he would loose the election, I hope you understand this. However just so you do understand, I take Losec, this drug is made in Australia and the US, if I take the Generic product from Australia it costs me $22.50, if I choose the US made Losec, I still pay $22.50, even though it costs more. So if anything the so called pharmaceutical subsidy is in fact a win for the US manufacturers.
I am from Queensland Muggaz, and yes ozmars is correct in saying that there is still a percent of Australian content which has to be shown by Local Networks, I for one have no problem with this as the percentage is only 10% for memory, and when you consider this, the door is open for the US to compete on the other 90%, one does need to remember that Australia is by no means the size of the US population or Economy wise, so for people in the US being concerned about content issues is really unwarrented as our industry is so small we are only capable of producing a small amount of local content, however if people have a problem with our pharmaceutical and media restrictions, I would say that similar trade offs have been made by Australia on Sugar and Dairy products.
Muggaz, I would assum that you are from Melbourn, judging by Queenscliff being where you holiday. I notice it has been a bit on the hot side down there.
I would say the FTA is going to have a hard time getting through both Congress and Parliment. Considering we are both in election mode, however I would expect that he US congress will be where this gets bogged down.
