Rick Wilson (O'Connor, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Trade) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to support the very good private member's motion brought forward by the member for Page, and particularly to support our trade sector. The member for Solomon has waxed lyrical about the ALP being the party of free trade. I recall that, back in the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd heyday, in six years of government, they didn't land one free trade agreement. But here we go—I think you said you've got a plan to make a plan, which is great.

There's a task force to make the plan. That's terrific to hear! I'll give you some help here, member for Solomon. But, firstly, I just want to reiterate the comments of the member of Page about the extraordinary list of achievements of the previous government, and, in particular, our achievements in the field of trade. Of the 16 free trade agreements that this country currently has, 13 came into force under the coalition government. Since we came into office in 2013, the number of exporting businesses in this country has grown by almost 28 per cent, including over 56,000 small and medium-sized businesses. The jobs of one in five Australians are trade related, and on average those jobs are better paying than jobs in the general workforce.

Between 2013 and 2022 the coalition government implemented nine free trade agreements, lifting the share of trade covered by free trade agreements from 27 per cent in 2013 to over 70 per cent. And, when the current government finally gets around to ratifying the India and UK free trade agreements, that will lift to over 80 per cent, which is a magnificent achievement and certainly felt very strongly across my electorate of O'Connor, which is a very heavily trade orientated part of Australia.

I want to touch on the Modern Manufacturing Strategy, where we saw investment by the Commonwealth government to support a whole range of industries. Most particularly, I want to touch on the critical minerals supply chain. Lynas corporation, which is an Australian ASX-listed company who were processing critical minerals in Malaysia, have made a decision to relocate their processing plant to Kalgoorlie and to process product from the Mount Weld mine at Laverton here in Australia, with some support through the Modern Manufacturing Strategy, and we are very proud to have been part of that process.

I want to touch on the UK FTA and its importance to Australian businesses, particularly agricultural businesses. Exporters will benefit from an immediate elimination of tariffs on over 99 per cent of goods exported to the UK, which is valued at about $9.2 billion, and farmers will have improved access to over 65 million UK consumers. For beef, that means that the current 12 per cent tariff will be immediately reduced, on a quota of 35,000 tonnes, and that quota will expand to 110,000 tonnes in year 10 of the agreement. This is why it is so critical that the government gets on with it and ratifies this agreement—because that will be effectively cumulative. If we can get this agreement ratified prior to 31 December, then we get that quota increase on 1 January next year. And, of course, the increase is cumulative right the way through that 10-year period. So it's particularly important that the government get on with that.

I'll just touch on sheep meat, which is particularly important in my electorate. And it's good to see the member for Fremantle has arrived in the chamber! The quota of 25,000 tonnes which will be tariff free at entry will increase to 75,000 tonnes over 10 years. Once again, it's very important for the people of my electorate to get that agreement ratified, in place, so that we get the benefits of those tariff-free quotas this year and then, ongoing, over the next 10 years.

In the last few seconds, I want to touch on the India free trade agreement signed between then trade minister Dan Tehan and Minister Piyush Goyal. I met with Minister Goyal in Perth, with a delegation of farmers. It's very exciting, going forward, for Western Australia and Western Australian farmers.

See this speech in context