Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

There is widespread support for this historic agreement from a long list of Labor luminaries, and it would be fair to say that some of the Labor figures I just mentioned in my previous answer might not necessarily fit into that category of luminaries! But allow me to go through a few former ACTU presidents, Bob Hawke for one; he was ACTU president for 11 years; Simon Crean, ACTU President for five years; Martin Ferguson, ACTU President for six years—21 years of ACTU presidencies support the China free trade agreement. Mr Hawke says:

The party must not go backwards on this issue …

Mr Crean says:

… we diminish our opportunities for jobs …

Mr Ferguson says:

It's almost as if the CFMEU … wants to hold the rest of the nation—

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