Craig Kelly (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Social Services. Will the minister update the House on the benefits to the aged-care sector of the landmark China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, and are there any risks to this approach?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank my colleague from the shire. Like me, he is optimistic about many things. We are both optimistic about a great turn of the Sharks over the Rabbits over the weekend. But we are also optimistic about the tremendous free trade agreement, the China export agreement, which is a visionary document.

It is visionary because Australia is not alone when it comes to having an ageing population: 8½ per cent of the Chinese population is currently aged over 65. By 2050, almost 24 per cent of the Chinese population will be over the age of 65. That will actually be more than in this country. There are now around 23 million people in China aged over 80—that is almost the population of this country—and by 2050 it will be more than 90 million. This is a visionary document which put into the agreement that Australian service suppliers can establish profit-making aged-care institutions throughout China. For the information of the Leader of the Opposition, that is a service that we were not selling before and which can be achieved by a free trade agreement, an export agreement, with China.

We are well positioned to capitalise on the China ageing boom—just like we have here. In this country we have the facilities, the expertise and the experience. We have the ability to deliver services to multicultural communities, particularly Chinese communities, here in Australia. And our providers are ready to sell. They are ready to sell—whether it is our educational institutions selling training services; whether it is architects; the development of facilities; they can sell those services into China; whether it is those who are planning the facilities. These are the opportunities that are realised by this visionary document.

It has been described by the aged-care sector as a massive opportunity. So why, when there is such a massive opportunity, would someone want to stand in the way of our aged-care service providers and associated industries taking advantage of this massive ageing boom in China? I will tell you who stands in the way. It is the Leader of the Opposition and those opposite. And they do so at the behest of the trade union movement.

This Leader of the Opposition uses the trade union movement like an ATM. He uses it to fund their policies, to fund their initiatives, and to fund their campaigns. He is the trade union's muppet, who will go to their call on every single occasion—

Pat Conroy (Charlton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker—

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Here is another muppet.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will resume his seat. The member for Charlton on a point of order?

Honourable members interjecting—

Members on my left and right. Member for Charlton.

Pat Conroy (Charlton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I refer to standing order 90: reflections on other members. That is clearly a reflection on the leader, and I ask him to withdraw.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I call the minister. I would prefer he did not use that language, and it would assist the House if he would withdraw.

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw, and I thank Beaker over there for his interjection.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will withdraw.

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will resume his seat. He does not have the call. The member for McEwen was seeking my call.

Rob Mitchell (McEwen, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. The clock failed to start at the beginning of the minister's answer, which allowed him an extra 30 seconds.

Government members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Members on my right will cease interjecting.

Mr Ewen Jones interjecting—

The Member for Herbert is warned. The member for McEwen is right. I did see that the clock—

Mr Mitchell interjecting—

The member for McEwen might want to hear the answer: the clerks adjusted the time midway through the answer.

Rob Mitchell (McEwen, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

But the clock started exactly—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, I saw them adjust it. I can see with my peripheral vision, Member for McEwen, that the Clerk is nodding his head. The minister has eight seconds.

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition stands in the way of an historic opportunity on the China export agreement, which will deliver massive opportunities for this country and more jobs— (Time expired)