Simon Crean (Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Hansard source

This deal entrenches and underpins the significance of the relationship between Australia and China—something we have been proud to promote, unlike those on the other side. We have to understand the fundamental interdependency between China’s and Australia’s economies. It is vital to the future development of both economies. It is something that we should never be afraid of. It is something that we should be proud to advance, and we should stand tall in terms of what we have to offer. This deal today shows what we have to offer. This deal today shows a government that is prepared to do what is necessary to support the realisation of the potential of our resource base. We recognise what Western Australia has had to do but, without the decisions this government took, this would not have happened.

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