George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Whish-Wilson, I am disappointed but I am bound to say I am not surprised that you take such a negative dog-in-the-manger view of what has been almost universally received as one of the great achievements in Australian trade policy: the China-Australia free trade agreement.

I will come directly to your question in a moment, Senator Whish-Wilson but, by way of prologue, might I remind you that, as a result of the free trade agreement with China, more than 85 per cent of Australian goods exported to China will be tariff-free immediately—immediately upon the entry into force of the free trade agreement.