Kelvin Thomson (Wills, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

The pressing need for competent economic leadership is a fitting subject for today's matter of public importance. We have much higher levels of unemployment than we did 30 years ago. We have much higher levels of youth unemployment, much worse long-term unemployment and serious problems of underemployment. We have much larger foreign debt and much larger budget deficits. The distribution of wealth between rich and poor is becoming less equal. The social problems generated by frustrated ambition, drugs, crime, mental health problems and homelessness are on the rise too.

Australia's GDP per capita went backwards in the June quarter, sliding by 0.2 per cent. Reports that GDP increased depend on the use of population creep. GDP increased by 0.2 per cent, but that was only due to population growth. GDP per capita, which is a far more accurate guide to living standards than GDP, declined. Not surprisingly then, real net national disposable income per head, which is the best measure of living standards, slid by 1.2 per cent in the three months to June. This is the fifth consecutive slide in real net disposable income per head, which is now five per cent below its peak in 2011. In fact, our economic growth rate is lower than the US, the European Union, Britain and Greece. But the geniuses who have dug us into this hole want us to keep digging and they say that flat growth means that we should ratify their China free trade agreement.

The government have been doing its best to muddy the workers concerning the changes to the temporary migrant worker arrangements we have with China which are contained in their agreement. They kept these provisions secret during the negotiations. They say it is too late to change them now. But the Department of Immigration and Border Protection just yesterday confirmed that if this China FTA comes into effect, there will no longer be labour market testing for Chinese nurses, engineers and other skills category 3 occupations. In a hearing before the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, the department acknowledged that, at present, nurses and engineers are required to undergo labour market testing, but that if this China FTA is ratified this labour market testing will no longer be required. This shows that that Prime Minister and the trade minister and others have been guilty of seriously misleading the Australian people about the impact of the agreement.

The Prime Minister says that nothing changes to our labour market laws under this agreement, when the government has expressly said it will bring forward a migration act determination, which will allow the minister for immigration to grant 457 visas without labour market testing in relation to contractual service suppliers. This is defined to mean a natural person of China who has trade, technical or professional skills. The labour market provisions of this deal go far beyond business executives and martial arts practitioners, the way the government has tried to present this. In fact, if this parliament agrees to the deal which is now before us, we are permanently giving away our capacity to require labour market testing in a whole range of trades and occupations.

There is a list of occupations which I have here, which is in total over 200 long, where labour market testing is presently required but will not be if this China FTA is ratified. It includes: engineer, nurse, automotive electrician, motor mechanic, diesel motor mechanic, motorcycle mechanic, electroplater, metal polisher, sheet metal trades worker, welder, aircraft maintenance engineer, fitter, fitter and turner, locksmith, watch and clock maker and repairer, tool maker, panel beater, vehicle body builder, bricklayer, carpenter and joiner, carpenter, floor finisher, plasterer, roof tiler, plumber, gas fitter, electrician general, electrician special class, air conditioning and mechanical services plumber, electrical lines worker, baker, pastry cook, butcher, cook, dog handler, horse trainer, zoo keeper, animal attendant, shearer, veterinary nurse, florist, gardener and many more.

Make no mistake, if this China deal is ratified as is, everyone who is unemployed will face the prospect of jobs in these occupations and many more going to a Chinese worker without first being advertised in Australia. The government's claim that the requirement to pay market salary rates is an adequate safeguard is absolutely rubbish. We read stories of exploitation of temporary migrant workers every day. This China FTA will put Australian jobs and Australian workers at risk. Yesterday's evidence shows the government's denials of this to be absolutely without foundation.

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