Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

There is no doubt, as the member for Grey knows, that as a result of the free trade agreements we are negotiating, and have negotiated, there are going to be more jobs and better paid jobs for more Australians. There is no doubt about that. If we can open up the markets and if we can get other countries to remove the taxes they place on our goods and services, it means that we can get more of our produce over into their markets and that creates more jobs and greater prosperity for everyday Australians. The China-Australia Free Trade Agreement ultimately means more jobs for Australian producers in agriculture, more jobs for Australian engineers, more jobs for Australian health workers, more jobs for Australian financial advisers and more jobs for Australian manufacturing workers.

I ask myself: why are the Labor Party opposing this? Why would the Labor Party so emphatically oppose something that is going to create more jobs and better paying jobs for everyday Australians. Their record is terrible at job creation. Do not forget under Labor 200,000 jobs were lost in just six years.

Dr Chalmers interjecting—

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