Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Bernardi for his question. The CFMEU campaign being waged against the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement is—and I am going to quote another former Labor Senator who has now come onboard, former Labor Senator John Black—'a throwback to the Labor Party of 100 years ago … It's certainly xenophobic'. Senators would be interested to know that the material being distributed by the CFMEU, arguing against this historic free trade agreement, argues: 'Australian manufacturing workers will lose their jobs as cheap imported products send Australian companies out of business.'

So, imagine my surprise when it was recently brought to my attention that the very merchandise that you see being worn by those CFMEU protestors at their anti free trade agreement protests are actually made in China—exhibit A, the CFMEU cap; you flip it over, and what does it say? Made in China. Even though the CFMEU are out there waging a xenophobic campaign, they do not have enough shame to actually purchase their products in Australia. It is a fact: you are allowed to purchase products from China. I support that. I hope that with the free trade agreement more Australians can do that. But the hypocrisy of the CFMEU wearing products made in China—

Senator Cormann interjecting—