Nola Marino (Forrest, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Will the minister explain how this government's free trade agreement is creating opportunities for Australian businesses overseas and leading to jobs and growth at home in Australia?

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Forrest for her question and I note what a strong supporter she is for businesses in her electorate who are selling their goods and services overseas.

On a trip last week to China and Japan, I met with many Australian businesses who are currently reaping the benefits of the free trade agreements that the coalition government has entered into with China, Japan and South Korea. There are a number of wonderful examples and great stories to tell. The member for Forrest will be particularly interested to know that the grape industry, under the Japan free trade agreement, has now boosted its opportunities to market and trade its product into Japan. In 2014, 16 containers were exported to Japan. In 2015, it was 165 containers. In 2016, it is expected 400 containers will go to Japan. This means more sales, more jobs in Australia in the grape industry.

Another great example in agriculture is the macadamia nut industry. The New South Wales based Macadamia Marketing International have told us that, under the South Korea free trade agreement, they will more than double their sales, going from 100 tonnes to 250 tonnes. I think they are one of the biggest macadamia nut suppliers in the world. They will more than double their trade into South Korea. And they expect that the trade will double each year over the next five years. That means more sales, more jobs in Australia in the macadamia nut industry, in the agricultural sector.

These job opportunities will only continue to grow as the middle class, the consumer class, in North Asia grows. It is expected that it will increase exponentially, which will provide more opportunities for Australia under these free trade agreements. And of course jobs growth and jobs creation will help maintain our standard of living.

I have to say that these job opportunities would not have existed had Labor been in government, because, when they were in government, there was no progress under their six disastrous years. There was no progress on the free trade agreements with China, Japan or South Korea. In fact, Labor's greatest impact on international trade, as we well recall, was its ban on cattle exports into Indonesia. Not only did that undermine our reputation as a reliable supplier supporting the food security needs in our region but it damaged our domestic cattle market.

Mr Perrett interjecting—

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

The member for Moreton is warned.

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is what Labor does not understand. The live cattle ban into Indonesia also had dramatic consequences in our domestic market. Only the coalition can be trusted to promote— (Time expired)