House debates

Thursday, 20 August 2015

Bills

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank Bill 2015; Second Reading

1:28 pm

Photo of Alannah MactiernanAlannah Mactiernan (Perth, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Labor unequivocally supports the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank Bill. In fact, we were early adopters of this measure so we will not be lectured by that side; they had to be dragged screaming to the table to support it. We want to work with China, we want to work with our Asian neighbours, to ensure that they have the capacity to go forward. But we will not sacrifice Australian jobs and we ask those opposite not to use the label 'xenophobia', not to bandy that around, but to start reading this agreement, start looking at what the consequences of this agreement are. Look at clause 4 of the memorandum of understanding—look at it and understand that what is happening here is a massive change in the landscape for Australia workers.

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