China is moving to expand its ties with resource-rich African nations. China has pledged US $10 billion in development loans and by forgiving existing debt. China has also pledged to tackle climate change by investing in over one hundred clean projects throughout the region. As a result, China has become one of Africa's largest trading partners and a principal builder of African infrastructure. Trade between Africa and China rose to $US106.8 billion last year from about $US10 billion in 2000. Chinese direct investment in Africa grew 81 per cent in the first six months of 2009 to $US552 million, according to the Chinese Commerce Ministry. Is this cause for concern?

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The Australian produce company Tripod Farmers has won the National Australia Bank (NAB) Agribusiness primary producer of the year excellence award for 2009. This award sponsored up by the NAB and backed by Monash University is supposed to reward agriculture businesses that excel. Apparently unknown to the NAB and Monash University were the allegations that Tripod Farmers have been using ''gang-master labour contractors - who allegedly hire lowly paid illegal workers." .

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The Australian Securities and Investment Commission’s (ASIC) continues to pursue former Australian Wheat Board (AWB) director Andrew Lindberg through the courts, alleging that “Mr Lindberg knew from as early as 2003 about the illicit payments, their nature and extent, as well as the gravity of allegations made against AWB, but he did not tell the board.”ASIC also claims that Mr Lindberg misled colleages and prevented collegues from learning about AWB’s Iraqi dealings.

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As the Australian public debates the merits of a human rights act its leading corporations, with global brands to protect, have already moved to incorporate human rights protection initiatives into their supply chain strategies.
Dr. Attracta Lagan

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