Paul Neville (Hinkler, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade. Would the Deputy Prime Minister advise the House on the level of exports to Thailand and the US in 2005? Does the Deputy Prime Minister anticipate further growth in export markets in the years ahead?

Mark Vaile (Lyne, National Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Hinkler for his question. I know the member for Hinkler has a number of manufacturing industries in his area that are doing very well from exports—companies like Jabiru, AusChilli and Bundaberg Brewed Drinks. Bundaberg Brewed Drinks are selling brewed drinks to New Zealand, South Africa and other countries. They are adding to the effort that is being put in by Australian exporters, who last year achieved a record level of exports out of Australia. An amount of $176.7 billion worth of exports went out of Australia last year, which was a 15 per cent increase on 2004. A lot of those exports came out of the electorate of the member for Hinkler. There has been a significant change in the structure of the industries in that area. The horticultural industry is taking over from the sugar industry in his area.

Under strong coalition policies we have seen record exports in six out of the last 10 years. Historic free trade agreements with the United States, Thailand and Singapore have helped along the way in opening up markets and providing opportunities for Australia’s exporters, such as those in the electorate of Hinkler. By way of example, merchandise exports to Thailand hit a new record in 2005 of $4.1 billion.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Mark Vaile (Lyne, National Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can see that the members of the Labor Party are very interested in these statistics! I can tell you that a lot of their constituents are very interested as well. Eight of the top 25 merchandise exports to the United States reached record levels in 2005, and 14 of the top 25 merchandise exports to Thailand reached record levels in 2005. Export of products like aluminium, medicines and motor vehicle parts, which are manufactured in all states of Australia but particularly in Victoria and South Australia, increased to Thailand after we halved the tariffs as a result of the free trade agreement we negotiated with Thailand.

Australia’s exporters are taking advantage of the opportunities being created by our government. We will continue to work with them. We will continue to work with the job creators in our economy.