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

As I said in answer to the first question from Senator Back, it is amazing what you can do when you set your mind to it. On 3 April 2012, former Labor trade minister Craig Emerson said:

Free trade agreements, I think frankly, are overrated in what they can achieve in terms of a relationship between Australia and China.

Off the agenda. On 18 April a year later, Mr Emerson told the Global Food Forum that a comprehensive trade deal with China was 'just beyond both countries'. I am pleased to say that is no longer so. Indeed, Labor's former trade spokesman, Richard Marles, said the idea that the government could conclude the deal with China within a year was 'pure fantasy'. I adopt one of those words: this is fantastic.