Natasha Griggs (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this MPI on jobs. Politics is an adversarial profession—each side of the chamber works against the other, the idea being that we test each other's ideas and policy through spirited debate and arrive at the best possible outcome for those we represent. The system only works when everyone operates within the same rules, and those rules include telling the truth. The CFMEU has well and truly    crossed the line in their xenophobic and mendacious—a term they like over there—campaign against the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement. In bringing them to account for this I need to be careful, because here in this place I am bound by another rule, which is that I cannot, no matter how plainly obvious it is, call anyone a liar. Let me see how else I can explain what has happened.

Many of my constituents have found this flyer in their letterbox over the last few weeks. This flyer was authorised by Michael O'Connor of the CFMEU. On this flyer there are three key points, and each one is stated to be a 'fact'. None of the three points on this flyer are indeed facts. They are not even close to the truth. There is no interpretation of this agreement which could possibly lead anyone to draw the conclusions which Mr O'Connor and his union have presented as facts. I would like to talk the House through these three points of fiction which are being dumped into the letterboxes across the my electorate. The first says:

Chinese companies who invest $150 million or more will be able to bring their own workforces to Australia without having to offer jobs to Australian citizens and residents first.

The CFMEU would have us believe that there will be boatloads of cheap foreign labourers arriving to push Australians out of their jobs. There is absolutely nothing in the China free trade agreement which would allow this to happen. The 457 visa system will remain in place—Australian workers will always get first dibs at jobs in Australia. The CFMEU go on to claim:

Chinese companies will be able to bring in Chinese-produced products with no safeguards to ensure they meet Australian standards.

Pure fiction! There is nothing in this or any other free trade agreement that would allow undercutting of Australian import regulations and nothing that would change Australian safety laws. They go on:

Chinese companies do not have to meet the same labour and environment standards as Australian companies—undercutting our jobs and conditions.

No free trade agreement allows any offshore company to operate in Australia outside Australian law. There is no possible legal instrument, no legislation this parliament could pass, which would allow that to happen. This is not just an exaggeration; this has been pulled from the realms of fantasy. It is not only not happening; it is absolutely not possible. The allegations in this flyer are absurd and unbelievable. It is a discredit to the union movement of Australia. However, this nonsensical pamphlet is not all bad. In fact, I owe the CFMEU a vote of thanks. I am truly grateful that they have included a nice picture of me in this pamphlet, and they have put my name there—you can see there is an arrow there, along with my office phone number. I am very pleased about that. It is great that they are putting their money into raising my profile in my electorate, so I just want to say thank you.

The Australian people know that Labor is against jobs. Australians know that this is a truly xenophobic campaign being run by the unions, and they know that Labor has a choice—they can support the unions or they can support Australians and make sure that we take the opportunity to implement this free trade agreement that can build on jobs and build on growth. The choice is theirs. They can oppose the free trade agreement and risk thousands and thousands of jobs, they can support this xenophobic behaviour of the unions, or they can support real jobs and real growth in this country? (Time expired)

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