Vaile will meet US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick amid signs of rising concern in Australia over proposals which a broad range of interest groups fear will undermine Australia's national sovereignty.

An FTA with the United States is being presented to Australia as a deal that would give Australian farmers greater access to the US market.

But Australia is still waiting for the United States to give ground on access to the key dairy, sugar and beef markets, and also for changes to some other agricultural markets.

A coalition of trade unions, churches, welfare and health groups held a news conference here Monday to add its voice to warnings that any free trade agreement would threaten Australian culture and democratic rights.

The coalition claimed the nation's sovereignty is being traded away in secret.

"Our independence as a nation very much is going to be swallowed up by big brother," said Catholic Bishop Pat Power, a spokesman for the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council, which is part of the coalition.

He said the council feared that Australia's sovereignty and democracy would be eroded by a free trade agreement by reducing its ability to make laws in areas such as health and social policy.

Australia's film makers, concerned that a US-Australia free-trade agreement would devastate a struggling industry, launched a campaign last week to try to pressure Canberra to maintain local content regulations which prevent unlimited imports of US film and television product.

US negotiators see the regulations as a restraint to free trade and are demanding their abolition as a trade-off for concessions in other areas.

Vaile, who has met Hollywood representatives as well as the Australian industry, denied Monday claims that the government would sell out the domestic film and televison sector.

"I continue to say, and I will continue to say, that any outcome out of these negotiations will not undermine the government's ability to be able to deliver good policy in this area," he said.