Trent Zimmerman (North Sydney, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Will the minister update the House on how the government's economic diplomacy agenda is benefitting Australian businesses, including those in the electorate of Bennelong?

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

I thank the member for North Sydney for his question. Last week the coalition government released a foreign policy white paper which set out our international engagement based on our values and interests and priorities over the next decade. At the heart of the foreign policy white paper is our commitment to strengthening prosperity and security including by remaining an open export oriented market economy trading our goods and services around the world, underpinned by a network of free-trade agreements. In fact, these agreements have been highly beneficial to Australian businesses across our country, including in the electorate of Bennelong, driving job opportunities and growing businesses. For example, Cochlear, the renowned medical device company based in Bennelong and employing thousands of Australians, has now sold over 25,000 hearing devices into China. Our free-trade agreement with China is giving Australian businesses a competitive advantage over others by reducing tariffs.

But, in contrast, the Labor Party joined a shameful campaign led by the unions against the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement. It was so shameful that former Labor President Warren Mundine described this campaign as 'bigoted'. But we now find that Kristina Keneally, the candidate Labor has hand-picked for Bennelong, joined that disgraceful campaign against the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement. Writing in The Guardian, she said, 'Labor should not shirk from its fight on the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement.' Well, I can tell the House that John Alexander supports a China-Australia Free Trade Agreement because it means more jobs and opportunities for the people of Bennelong.

Kristina Keneally was hand-picked by Eddie Obeid and Joe Tripodi to lead Labor in New South Wales and she led one of the most corrupt and incompetent governments in New South Wales history. Kristina Keneally has now been hand-picked by the Leader of the Opposition to bring that same New South Wales Labor culture to Bennelong. The people of Bennelong deserve better than Kristina Keneally, and John Alexander will bring to the people of Bennelong job opportunities and opportunities to grow the businesses that employ the people of Bennelong. John Alexander is the trusted voice. He is the positive advocate for the people of Bennelong. I say to the people of Bennelong: vote for John Alexander. You can trust him.