Dennis Jensen (Tangney, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Trade and Investment. Will the minister update the House on why it is important for our economy, particularly in Western Australia, that our historic trade export agreement with China is brought into force by the end of this year? What obstacles are there to this approach?

Ms Ryan interjecting—

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

The member for Lalor will cease interjecting.

Andrew Robb (Goldstein, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade and Investment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Tangney. He knows, only too well, that Western Australia is being hurt most by the collapse in the mining and energy prices. It is why from day one, as a government, we placed a very high priority on completing the trifecta of trade agreements as a bridge to driving much greater diversification post the mining boom. It has been an explicit part of our economic policy to do that. The member also knows, to this end, that professional services are an important part of his electorate—legal services, education, architecture, construction and planning, all of those sorts of different services which are gold standard in Australia and in his local area, as well as light manufacturing and high tech—and the China trade deal will open new doors for all of these and many more. In fact, we have got preferences on services that no other country in the world has been provided with by China. We have got a first-mover advantage on literally dozens and dozens of services that we are seeing as gold standard in the country. We have got all of these services which can then be, for the first time in many cases, made available across China. It will involve investment from here into China, but it will create literally thousands of jobs and a business extension into a country of 1.35 billion people. The opportunities are enormous, and we have got exclusive right to many of these opportunities. It is there for the taking from the end of this year if we get this thing entering into force.

Of course, Canning is the neighbouring electorate and, hopefully, by early Saturday night we will have an outstanding new Liberal member of parliament, Andrew Hastie. Again, there are a whole range of goods—wine, horticulture, wagyu beef, all sorts of different agricultural products—as well as many, many services in that electorate. Also, it has many people, in particular, who are looking for alternative forms of employment as they are former fly-in fly-out mining workers. It is a critical area of people looking for alternatives, and this free trade agreement provides those alternatives. The only obstacles standing in the way are those opposite. Surely we can return to a bipartisan approach on a policy which is of such national significance(Time expired)

Ms Butler interjecting —

Dr Chalmers interjecting —

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

The member for Griffith will cease interjecting. The member for Rankin will cease interjecting.