Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Back for his question. Yes, I can advise the chamber of false claims. Australians are currently witnessing what is an unprecedented attack by the union movement and those opposite in relation to the biggest opportunity to boost jobs and growth that this country has ever seen.

Those opposite say they are the party for the worker. Give us on this side a break. You are denying the workers in this country the opportunity for tens and tens and tens of thousands of jobs. I ask Senator Wong: as the shadow minister for trade, will Senator Wong show some leadership and repudiate the falsities being peddled by her former union, the CFMEU, in relation to the free trade agreement? Let's look at some of the myths versus the reality. The first myth: Chinese companies will have unrestricted access to Chinese workers for major projects, threatening Australian jobs. That is false—absolutely false. The ChAFTA will not allow unrestricted access to our workplace or labour market by Chinese workers. In fact, if those on the other side had actually bothered to read the memorandum of understanding they would have seen at clause 8, under 'Issue of Visas under IFAs', the words 'labour market testing', and the requirements that need to be followed are actually set out in the MOU. Under the IFA, Australian workers will continue to be given first priority. The second myth that is being peddled is that ChAFTA will allow Chinese electricians to work in Australia without any skills assessment. Please, again, give us a break—absolutely false. The reality is— (Time expired)