Page 2749 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 12 August 2015
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Government’s high level priorities of transport reform, ongoing urban renewal, and our continuing work to build Canberra as Australia’s premier knowledge capital.
I looked for the problems that China FTA agreement website raised, but clearly Mr Barr does not believe that because none of that was raised or reported on in his report. He gives it a glowing endorsement. I will read the endorsement again, members opposite, in case you missed it:
Discussion also focused on the opportunities presented following the recent completion of negotiations for a China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA). Now ratified the Agreement presents major trade and export opportunities in the tourism, education, healthcare and professional services sectors.
There are opportunities here, members, but those opposite think it is okay to run a campaign against those opportunities.
My understanding is that there is no weakening. I have gone through the documents provided by the federal government. If you look at some of the information put out by the federal government you see that the results of independent economic modelling show three FTAs with Korea, Japan and China will be worth $24.4 billion in total additional income to Australia between 2016 and 2030. This is income to Australia. The FTAs are forecast to create almost 8,000 jobs in 2016 peaking at almost 15,000 new jobs in 2020. What have you got against new jobs?
The information from the federal government also discusses some of the issues Mr Gentleman brought up on the IFAs, the investment facilitation agreements. It says that the IFA MOU provides Chinese companies making infrastructure investments in Australia in excess of $150 million with greater certainty in workforce planning by ensuring that any estimated labour shortage can be met through temporary foreign workers where suitable local workers cannot be found. I will say that again, slowly: where suitable local workers cannot be found. If there is a workplace shortage what do we say? Do we say, “Well, sorry about that. There’s a workplace shortage. You all need to go away and take your investment dollars with you,” or do we come up with a reasonable process, which we do in many cases, and say. “If you’ve got the skills and you meet the qualifications, then of course you can come.”
Under IFAs Australian workers will be given first opportunity and employers will not be permitted to bring in overseas skilled workers unless there is clear evidence of a genuine labour market need as determined by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection. I will say it again: under IFAs Australian workers will be given first opportunity and employers will not be permitted to bring in overseas skilled workers unless there is clear evidence of a genuine labour market need as determined by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.
This is an important issue. Yet again, as they did in 2000, the weasel words are used. In 2000 the Labor Party abstained and the Greens voted against the highly successful, 15-year long sister city relationship we have with Beijing that Mr Barr lauds. He said it has delivered the goods. Back then they voted against it, or abstained. Now they are
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