Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Johnston for his question. It is a very important question because the international education sector is Australia's largest services export. ABS projections suggest that export income from international education could be worth more than $18 billion in 2014-15. As Senator Cormann rightly acknowledged, it is the third largest export earner for Australia overall and our largest services export industry. It is forecast to increase to as much as $30 billion by 2020.

China is already Australia's largest market for education exports, which are worth an estimated $4.1 billion in 2013-14—that is $4.1 billion invested in the Australian economy by Chinese students and our partnership in education. Under the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement this relationship will only get stronger, and that value will only grow the Australian economy. Australian private higher education providers will benefit from improved profile, with prospective Chinese students and employers giving them greater access to the China education market. This will include the opportunity for more students to come to Australia and grow this large market, which is home to 22 per cent of the world's people.

Are there any threats to this, as Senator Johnston asked? Yes, of course there are. Those threats include those opposite us today. Those threats include Mr Shorten in the other place. Those threats include a scare campaign led by the CFMEU and the trade union movement, who are out to mislead and scare Australians in relation to this crucial agreement that can generate enhanced wealth and opportunity for Australians and more jobs for Australians in the education sector and elsewhere. They are turning their backs on Labor history and on people like Bob Hawke and Bob Carr, who recognise the value of this agreement. (Time expired)