Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Lyons for his question. What a great champion he is for Tasmanian businesses in his electorate. This government is making every effort to ensure businesses across Australia, particularly small and medium businesses, are able to benefit from the opportunities created by the free trade agreements that this government has entered into with massive markets to our north, including with China, Japan and South Korea.

We need to enhance our representation overseas. Last night in the budget the Treasurer announced that there will be two new diplomatic posts and missions in China and in Papua New Guinea as a way of enhancing our presence in these countries and increasing our economic engagement with them. This means that since 2013 this government—

Mr Perrett interjecting—

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