Sarah Henderson (Corangamite, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Each and every day we are a government proudly fighting for jobs and growth. The deceptive and racist campaign being run by the unions and Labor against the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, or ChAFTA, is putting at risk thousands of new jobs and agricultural exports. It is estimated that over the next 20 years the ChAFTA will deliver some 178,000 new jobs. In Corangamite, a proud farming heartland, the Labor candidate is working hand in glove with the CFMEU's dishonest campaign to destroy one of the most significant trade deals in a generation. If ChAFTA does not go ahead, it will rob farmers of millions of dollars in export income.

Between 2008 and 2013, New Zealand's free trade agreement with China delivered increased dairy export revenue of $3.7 billion. In the same period Australian dairy farmers received an increase of only $173 million. Meat and Livestock Australia and the Australian Meat Industry Council, representing processors, say that the ChAFTA has the potential to increase the gross value of beef production by $270 million annually by 2024. By 2030, the total benefits for beef will approach $3.3 billion. Under the ChAFTA, dairy tariffs will be abolished and Australia's beef and sheep farmers will also have great benefits. This free trade agreement is vital for Australian farmers and for Australian jobs.

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