Free Trade Deal Passes Parliament After Humiliating Government Backdown

We all knew it would happen. The government had nowhere to go. As soon as Mark Lathem stated that the deal would only pass through parliament with Labor amendments, John Howard was on a hiding to nothing if he didn't agree.

Imagine if the government had refused to agree to the changes. The government going to the polls stating who they love the PBS, and it doesn't need changes. Labor saying it needs changes to protect it from practices commonly used by large pharmaceutical companies to keep the cost of drugs high in the US. Labor stating that the only way to save the PBS is to vote for them.

I would have liked to see that!

Now that the bill has passed, it's up to the Americans to decide whether they can live with the changes. John Howard must be lying awake at nights hoping they agree. If they don't, then his credibility is shot as he stated 'ad nauseam' that the PBS would be protected even if it mean the deal wouldn't go through, and that Labor's amendments were superfluous because the existing law was adequate.

I suspect that any chance of a September election is gone, due to this issue. Look for a bounce to Labor in the next opinion polls. I'm betting the family jewels on 23 October.