Jerome Laxale (Bennelong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to welcome the news that China has removed the 80.5 per cent tariff on Australian barley. This outcome paves the way for industry to re-enter the Chinese market, which is a win-win for Chinese consumers and, of course, Australian producers. Importantly, it affirms the calm and consistent approach the Albanese government has taken to repairing our international relationships. My community of Bennelong is home to a thriving Chinese Australian community, the second-largest Chinese community in Australia. I'm acutely aware of the significance a strong and harmonious relationship between our two countries has to them.

The reinstatement of barley exporting from Australia to China is not merely an economic triumph; it is a testament to the power of diplomacy and engagement. The adults are back in charge, which is exactly what Chinese Australians in Bennelong voted for. They voted for a government that values migration and one that treats our key international relationships with professionalism and respect. They voted for a government that would not play politics with national security, nor politicise foreign affairs—because, when the Liberals played politics with foreign affairs, it had a direct impact on Chinese Australians in Bennelong. They were targeted, abused and racially vilified. In contrast, the Albanese government's approach is welcomed. With China, we will cooperate where we can, disagree where we must and always engage in our national interest.