Luke Simpkins (Cowan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What this country needs is a positive approach. What this country needs is an expansion of markets. Under this government and the trade minister, despite the negativity, there has been great news. We are talking about the Korean free trade agreement, the Japanese free trade agreement and the Chinese free trade agreement. Everywhere around this country, whether it is in Malaga, Wangara, Landsdale or Gnangara, the manufacturers and the service sectors, and in fact all the Australian people, can now see how useful and great it will be when Australian manufacturers and service providers have access to a billion-person market. Everybody sees that. Increasingly, all the polls about the Chinese free trade agreement say that people are seeing this, acknowledging this and recognising the great opportunities that this government is providing.

Unfortunately, not everybody sees it that way. Of course, the union movement, as usual, do not see their members' money as the money that belongs to the members; they see it as a political opportunity. I know that the union royal commission has outlined a number of excesses, but what a terrible waste of union members' money has occurred as a result of this opposition to the Chinese free trade agreement. Everyone around this country agrees it is a good thing.