Andrew Broad (Mallee, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I also rise to talk about the jobs for Australia agreement—the free trade agreement with China. In my electorate four years ago we exported zero citrus to China; now, one company in my electorate is the biggest exporter of citrus to China in Australia. In the space of four years it has grown from nothing to 10,000 tonnes. The export of table grapes has grown from zero shipping containers to four shipping containers to 334 shipping containers to 1,000 shipping containers. This is translating to jobs for Australians: people who lay out irrigation technology, people who market things, people who pick fruit, people who prune fruit trees and vines, farmers who spend locally—this is a jobs for Australians agreement. And we know that, when you grow the market of 1.3 billion people, and when you can take the products that Australians produce that China wants, Australians benefit. But do not forget: if we do not sign this agreement, this will have dire consequences because South America is fast positioning itself to capitalise on our citrus markets. We sent 10,000 tonnes in 2015, but there is no doubt that, if this agreement does not go through, we may lose that market and there will be many Australians who will not have a job. The Labor Party need to stand behind Australian jobs and sign the free trade agreement and get this legislation through the House.

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