Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Hansard source

And it does deal with some things that are not in other agreements. That would hardly be a surprise, because there are different priorities. But what this agreement does is protect Australian job standards. It protects the rights of Australians to work in positions of their choice. It gives the opportunity for Australians to also participate in the economy in China. We are able to undertake services and activities in China as a result of this agreement which were not possible under previous arrangements, especially the expansion of service industries into China. There will be jobs created for Australians in China, and it seems that the trade union movement, in its scare campaign, does not want to talk about those sorts of things. But let me assure you that unqualified people will not be allowed to work in Australia. The electricians and others have made it clear through their professional associations that the standards will be applied to anyone coming from other parts of the world to work here, just as happens to Australians who want to work in those professions. This is not a way to undermine our standards as a country; it is a way to create new jobs, more jobs and more opportunities for Australians as we grow our export markets into that part of the world and embrace the opportunities that there are in a trading arrangement of this nature with the fastest growing economy in the world.

Honourable members interjecting—

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