Craig Emerson (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Hansard source

The result of the creation of the open, competitive economy through trade policy and broader economic policy has been that it has laid the foundations for two decades of recession-free economic growth, setting Australia apart from the rest of the developed world with such strong recession-free economic growth. These economic trade policies literally were designed to put Australia in the right place at the right time in the Asian region in the Asian century, a consequence of visionary leadership by Bob Hawke, Paul Keating and—I will give some credit—the coalition under John Howard.

I have, however, been asked about the impact on jobs and prosperity of policies that damage Australia's competitiveness and export performance. Of course, this parliament has had to confront a private members' bill that would have banned imports of apples from New Zealand, an antitrade policy that would have risked retaliation for our Australian farmers. We have had to contemplate a piece of legislation—a private members' bill on palm oil labelling—that similarly would have violated our international obligations. We have had to contemplate a policy that would prohibit international trading in carbon permits. The truth is that the Leader of the Opposition is not against international trade—just so long as it does not involve foreigners.

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