Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Hansard source

I put on the record that I am very concerned about the signing and ratifying of the TPP-11. The United States and President Trump saw no reason to be involved in this and they've pulled out, so there are grave concerns. I will make comments on why I'm concerned about it. There was a free trade agreement with America signed by the Liberal Party in 2004 and ratified with support from the Labor Party. It came into effect in January 2005. Under that free trade agreement, from day one, Australia got rid of all its tariffs. America negotiated for its industries such as beef, horticulture and other areas to keep their tariffs on Australian exports into that country for between 11 and 18 years. That was for beef, horticulture, wine, steel, cotton and sheep. That was not a good deal for Australia. So it really concerns me when free trade agreements are signed off without being debated in this chamber and without the people of Australia being allowed to have a say in any of these treaties and agreements.

I can understand why you are saying it's a good thing—because we will be able to export our products to other countries around the world—and I'm sure a lot of people are very happy about that, especially in industry and the farming sector. My concern here is that in Australia we have a problem with multinationals paying their taxes. There are over 700 multinational companies in Australia that pay no tax at all. I hear the same old rhetoric from the government: 'We are addressing that and we are reining it in.' Under this free trade agreement, you are opening up the gates for multinational companies to come here, and they will be able to bring in their workers. My question to you is: if we are going to open it up to more multinational companies to come into Australia and work here, what is the government doing to ensure that they will pay their taxes here in Australia and not add to the over 700 companies already that pay no taxes in Australia, which costs the Australian taxpayer?