David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Assistant Minister for Education and Training, Senator Birmingham, representing the Minister for Education and Training. Will the minister inform the Senate of the benefits to the international education sector of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, and are there any risks to the realisation of these benefits?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Johnston for his question. It is a very important question because the international education sector is Australia's largest services export. ABS projections suggest that export income from international education could be worth more than $18 billion in 2014-15. As Senator Cormann rightly acknowledged, it is the third largest export earner for Australia overall and our largest services export industry. It is forecast to increase to as much as $30 billion by 2020.

China is already Australia's largest market for education exports, which are worth an estimated $4.1 billion in 2013-14—that is $4.1 billion invested in the Australian economy by Chinese students and our partnership in education. Under the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement this relationship will only get stronger, and that value will only grow the Australian economy. Australian private higher education providers will benefit from improved profile, with prospective Chinese students and employers giving them greater access to the China education market. This will include the opportunity for more students to come to Australia and grow this large market, which is home to 22 per cent of the world's people.

Are there any threats to this, as Senator Johnston asked? Yes, of course there are. Those threats include those opposite us today. Those threats include Mr Shorten in the other place. Those threats include a scare campaign led by the CFMEU and the trade union movement, who are out to mislead and scare Australians in relation to this crucial agreement that can generate enhanced wealth and opportunity for Australians and more jobs for Australians in the education sector and elsewhere. They are turning their backs on Labor history and on people like Bob Hawke and Bob Carr, who recognise the value of this agreement. (Time expired)

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Will the minister inform the Senate about the benefits of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement for job creation, particularly in the education sector?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Within one year of entry into force, China will list on a key Ministry of Education website 77 Australian higher education institutions, adding to the existing 105 education institutions that are enjoying huge numbers of Chinese students who are studying and investing in Australia. Listing these institutions provides Chinese students and employers with quality and fraud assurance, it enables them to assess educational qualifications and, importantly, it gives Chinese students access to those Australian providers. Education ministers have signed an MOU to provide improved higher education qualification recognition and enhanced mobility of students, researchers and academics at school, tertiary and research levels to facilitate student and teacher exchanges. All of this will strengthen the relationship between what is already our largest services export and what is already our largest market, ensuring more dollars, more jobs and more opportunities for Australian education providers well into the future.

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Can the minister outline to the Senate how news of these benefits has been received by business and the union movement?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thankfully most of the business community and sensible commentators around Australia have welcomed the enormous benefits of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement. Of course, there was a time when those opposite did as well. When it was signed, I recall Mr Shorten welcoming the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement. They were all for it. Indeed, when they were in power, apparently they were so close to sealing the deal that they were allegedly responsible for it; yet now they are running a disgraceful scare campaign on the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement. But what does former Prime Minister Bob Hawke say? He says:

I am all in favour of it. The party must not go backwards on this issue—the party and the trade union movement. Talk of opposing it is just absolutely against Australia's best interests.

In the words of Bob Hawke, those opposite are absolutely against Australia's best interests today. By standing against the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement they are against investment in Australia, growth for Australia and jobs for Australians. (Time expired)