John Hogg (Queensland, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Coonan, the Minister representing the Minister for Trade. Can the minister confirm that the Chinese government has signalled its intention to include greater access for Chinese workers to the Australian labour market as part of the free trade agreement negotiations? Hasn’t China stated an interest in opening up the use of Chinese stevedores on Australian wharves to load and unload Chinese goods, and Chinese construction workers to work on Chinese owned projects in Australia? Can the minister confirm that, far from ruling out any relaxation of current regulations, the government has told China to put up its proposals for discussions in November this year? Why is the government giving the Chinese expectations of a relaxation in the policy? Will the minister now guarantee that relaxing the current regulations on foreign workers will not be part of any agreement with China?

Helen Coonan (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you to Senator Hogg for the question. The issues in relation to the free trade agreement, what is to happen with labour and the negotiations are things that are ongoing in the discussions between the government and China. The China-Australia free trade agreement negotiations are still very much in the early stages. I can confirm that China has not made a request for access for unskilled labour in Australia, and both China and Australia are, as part of these negotiations—as you would expect—free to raise any issue of interest to them. No free trade agreement that Australia has made in the past, as Senator Hogg would be aware, has provided for the entry of unskilled workers to Australia. The government will be mindful, of course, during these negotiations, of the interests of Australian workers and the need to prevent exploitation of overseas workers. I am sure you would expect that to be precisely what we would do. There has been no agreement of the kind to which you allude, Senator Hogg, and there is no proposal that we would do so.

John Hogg (Queensland, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Is the minister aware of remarks by the vice-president of the China International Contractors Association as reported in the Australian Financial Review newspaper today that Australian salary standards would raise Chinese labour costs? Isn’t the real motive behind the attempt to bring in Chinese labour to lower labour costs in Australia? Will the government take a stand to protect Australian wages from Chinese wage competition?

Helen Coonan (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am not sure that the supplementary question follows logically from the answer I gave, because what I did make clear in my primary answer was that China has not made a request for access for unskilled labour to Australia. However, that is not to say that both China and Australia are not free to raise any issue of interest to them in the negotiations. But, looking at Australia’s record on this matter, no free trade agreement that Australia has made in the past has provided for an agreement or an outcome of the kind to which Senator Hogg alludes. The government is mindful and will continue to be mindful during negotiations of the interests of Australian workers. It is entirely appropriate that we will be mindful of the interests of Australian workers and the need to prevent the exploitation of overseas workers.