Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I might ask Senator Brown what comment she made later on. I thank Senator Sinodinos for the question.

Under the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement our resources will be entirely duty-free. Reducing the tariffs on minerals and eliminating the tariffs on the coal sector will increase Australia's mineral exports by about $600 million per annum. This is a better deal than was done with New Zealand. New Zealand exports increased fivefold over the last five years after the agreement was done.

This agreement does not involve changing any workplace relations laws. It does not involve changing any migration laws. It will not involve reducing existing labour market testing and labour market protection. Every way you look at it, this is a great deal for this country and a great deal for Australian workers. That is why Bob Hawke, Bob Carr and Simon Crean and a number of the Labor premiers have come out to support it. Sally McPherson, who runs an earthmoving people equipment supplier, has said:

The China deal will make mining more competitive and that will be good for jobs in Australian businesses like ours … anything that gives our mining companies a better chance to compete abroad—

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