Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. I ask: is the minister aware that on 5 December the Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, said of the recent South Korean free trade agreement:

The benefits of the FTA start flowing immediately and will be long-lasting.

Is he also aware that yesterday, Toyota cited increased competitiveness due to current and future free trade agreements as one of the reasons it is no longer viable to continue building cars in Australia? So, I ask: given Toyota's statements, will the government now admit that it is not benefits but costs which have started to flow from the Korean free trade agreement? And will they now put their current free trade agenda on hold so as not to further harm manufacturing in Australia?