Ashley Hall reported this story on Monday, December 9, 2013 18:26:00

MARK COLVIN: It's looking increasingly unlikely that negotiators will sign a free trade deal linking 12 countries around the Pacific before the end of year.



WikiLeaks released documents today which suggest the participating countries are poles apart on some key questions.



The documents also purport to reflect at least one nation's belief that the US is exerting great pressure through the negotiations, both in support of its position, and to close the deal quickly.



Ashley Hall reports.



ASHLEY HALL: The earliest Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations began in 2005 with the aim of liberalising trade in the Asia Pacific. Just four countries were involved back then: Chile, New Zealand, Singapore and Brunei.



Since then, the number of states involved has swollen to 12, among them Australia and the United States. But finalising the text of the agreement is proving problematic.



The US president, Barack Obama, says he'd like to see a deal done by the end of the year. But, if documents released today by WikiLeaks are any guide, that seems unlikely.



Matthew Rimmer is an associate professor at the College of Law at the Australian National University.



MATTHEW RIMMER: The leaks in relation to the Trans Pacific Partnership reveal some very deep divisions in relation to the Pacific Rim negotiations on investment, intellectual property, the environment, labour rights, and public health.



ASHLEY HALL: Just as negotiators for the 12 countries gather in Singapore for what's supposed to be the final talks, WikiLeaks has released two documents which appear to be briefing notes prepared by one of the country's negotiating teams.



One of the documents lists country-by-country the remaining areas of disagreement. The other details deep divisions between the US and other nations, and speaks about the "great pressure" being exerted by US negotiators as they try to move other nations to their position.



MATTHEW RIMMER: The leaks reveal that the Obama administration has been incredibly inflexible about the investment chapter, and the proposals in relation to an investor state dispute settlement system.



ASHLEY HALL: As Dr Rimmer explains, investor state dispute settlement allows a company to sue a government for lost earnings if the government enacts legislation to the company's detriment.



MATTHEW RIMMER: Seems to me investment is defined too broadly. The scope of the dispute settlement system seems to be very wide. And there's a huge question about whether some of the exceptions, or carve outs, or defensives, will be effective.



ASHLEY HALL: It's not the first time WikiLeaks has published supposedly secret information linked to the negotiations.



Just last month, it published the draft text of the agreement's intellectual property chapter, prompting concerns that the agreement will push up the price of medicines, IT products, books and movies.



MATTHEW RIMMER: There are deep and abiding divisions and disagreements between the Pacific Rim partners, and I think it's going to be very difficult to resolve those conflicts across an array of different kind of chapters.



ASHLEY HALL: It's the secretive nature of the negotiations that have incensed internet freedom activists, global health workers, environmentalists and the union movement.



Patricia Ranald is the convenor of the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network. She's in Singapore to observe the latest round of talks.



PATRICIA RANALD: We're relying on leaks because the governments concerned haven't agreed to publicly release either the negotiating documents or the final text of the agreement before it's signed.



ASHLEY HALL: Dr Ranald is concerned about what Australia might be prepared to negotiate away to gain market access for the nation's exporters.



PATRICIA RANALD: Minister Robb gave assurances last week that Australia wouldn't make any concessions on Australia's Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.



Now this document reveals that Australia has actually done a joint document with the US and Japan on that part of the agreement which deals with schemes like the PBS.



Now this is a worry because all other governments are opposing it, and it appears to indicate that Australia may be making some concessions on the PBS.



ASHLEY HALL: A spokesman for the office of the US trade representative says the information contained in the leaked documents is either out of date or inaccurate.



Australia's Trade Minister Andrew Robb is at the talks and while he says he won't engage in commentary on the leaked documents, in a statement, he says a successful outcome to the negotiations can bring major benefits for our country.



He says material improvements in terms of market access is of the highest priority for Australia.



And Mr Robb insists he we will not sign up to anything that is not in the interests of the Australian public or which undermines the PBS or the health system.



MARK COLVIN: Ashley Hall.