Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

I am delighted to take that question from Senator Williams, a senator who is genuinely concerned for his constituency and can see the benefit to all Australians in this new economic partnership agreement, which will be signed this afternoon by the Prime Minister of Australia and the Prime Minister of Japan. It would be fair to call this agreement historic. Indeed, those opposite might like to reflect on the fact that their former trade minister, Craig Emerson, has taken to Twitter and described the new agreement as 'the best Australia could have achieved'.

The former US assistant secretary of state for East Asia described it as 'a massive victory' and went on to say that 'Europe and the United States have been trying to get this kind of agreement from Japan for 30 years'—and here we are, after only nine months in government, with the great assistance of Minister for Trade Andrew Robb, able to deliver this agreement for the Australian economy. We are proud of the fact that we have been able to achieve this agreement, which shows that you can achieve things if a government is willing and determined to roll up its sleeves to get the sorts of achievements that will be of great benefit to all areas of the Australian economy.