Christopher Back (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Senator Cash. I ask: can the minister inform the Senate of any false and misleading claims about labour market access under the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement? Minister, where does the truth lie with this issue?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Back for his question. Yes, I can advise the chamber of false claims. Australians are currently witnessing what is an unprecedented attack by the union movement and those opposite in relation to the biggest opportunity to boost jobs and growth that this country has ever seen.

Those opposite say they are the party for the worker. Give us on this side a break. You are denying the workers in this country the opportunity for tens and tens and tens of thousands of jobs. I ask Senator Wong: as the shadow minister for trade, will Senator Wong show some leadership and repudiate the falsities being peddled by her former union, the CFMEU, in relation to the free trade agreement? Let's look at some of the myths versus the reality. The first myth: Chinese companies will have unrestricted access to Chinese workers for major projects, threatening Australian jobs. That is false—absolutely false. The ChAFTA will not allow unrestricted access to our workplace or labour market by Chinese workers. In fact, if those on the other side had actually bothered to read the memorandum of understanding they would have seen at clause 8, under 'Issue of Visas under IFAs', the words 'labour market testing', and the requirements that need to be followed are actually set out in the MOU. Under the IFA, Australian workers will continue to be given first priority. The second myth that is being peddled is that ChAFTA will allow Chinese electricians to work in Australia without any skills assessment. Please, again, give us a break—absolutely false. The reality is— (Time expired)

Christopher Back (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister advise the Senate of some of the tangible benefits that are already flowing to Australia as a result of the signing of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is an historic trade agreement. It is all about jobs and growth. Since even just the signing of the free trade agreement the ChAFTA benefits flowing to Australians have been huge. For example, since the signing of the ChAFTA the cattle health protocol agreement has been reached, under which Australia is the first country to export feeder and slaughter cattle into China. Imagine the opportunities for those in the agricultural sector now—up to one million head of cattle that we can now send to China. We also heard this week about a business, a producer in Australia, working directly with Chinese merchants on a direct producer-consumer model. They are only doing this in anticipation of the fact that the ChAFTA will come into force in January. These are the tangible benefits that we are now seeing because of the signing of this historic free trade agreement. (Time expired)

Christopher Back (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I thank the minister for her answer and I ask a further supplementary question. Can the minister inform the Senate of any threats posed to the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement as a result of the current dishonest campaign?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can, and I have to say, so many Australians who have given their absolute endorsement to the Chinese free trade agreement—because they understand that their children, if they have families, will have thousands and thousands of opportunities for jobs that will be created—are absolutely gobsmacked by the attitude taken by those on the other side under Bill Shorten, which is, quite frankly, to go into partnership with the thugs in the CFMEU to oppose the free trade agreement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pause the clock.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, a point of order: the minister is misleading the Senate. Chapter 6 of the MOU says there will be no requirement for labour market—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order. And apart from there being no point of order, that is really taking advantage of a situation where you should not be doing so. So, please desist.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Even Bob Carr, who used to sit in this chamber but was actually from the Labor Party, has come out himself and said: 'Sign the China free trade agreement.' Even he understands, as a former foreign minister, what this means for Australians. Yet what do we have? Those on the other side—Bill Shorten, being the little puppet that is pulled by the union puppet masters—being told, 'Distance yourself from the free trade agreement.' Ironically, when President Xi was here, what did Mr Shorten do? He tried to claim credit for it. (Time expired)