Arthur Sinodinos (NSW, Liberal Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Hansard source

The TPP, like other recent trade agreements, is a step towards fairer trade rules. Thanks to the TPP there will be significant tariff cuts on dairy exports to Japan, one of our largest dairy customers. This includes a 9,000-tonne increase in the volume of Australian cheese exports allowed into the US tariff free. Trade agreements such as the TPP are crucial for our dairy industry, which exports about 40 per cent of its production. The United Dairyfarmers of Victoria Vice-President, John Versteden, has said:

Our future is on the export market, because domestic growth is fairly minimal. We are a growing industry and we're cost-competitive. We've got a good low-cost base and I think we've got a fairly strong strategic future on international markets.

The TPP not only reduces tariffs but also involves greater cooperation to combat fraud in textile and apparel, along with—