Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, I do. I wholeheartedly support this legislation and I wholeheartedly reject your amendment. That's why Labor will not vote for it. It would prevent a trade minister in a Shorten Labor government, which one day we hope to achieve, from achieving the outcomes Centre Alliance says it wants to see: the removal of the ISDS and the reinstatement of labour market testing. Senator Patrick would impose an artificial deadline on negotiations with six countries. Perversely, Senator Patrick would give countries an incentive to walk away from the bargaining table. Countries that want access to the gains that Australia has made for our farmers, our manufacturers, our universities and our steel producers would use Senator Patrick's artificial deadline to push Australia out of the CPTPP so they can get those gains for themselves. He would see Australia weakened. He would see gains lost and jobs threatened. A future Shorten Labor government would take these gains and increase protections for Australian workers.

The shameful part of the Centre Alliance's stunt is that they would pretend to be a friend of the workers. Centre Alliance is committing a fraud against Australian workers.

Senator Hanson-Young interjecting—

You can laugh! But, when the Liberal government works to destroy the movement that is there to protect the workers, the Centre Alliance stands shoulder to shoulder with them. They are voting—