Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

The risks to the great opportunities for our economy and the jobs that come with the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement are the militant unions across Australia, like the CFMEU, and a Leader of the Opposition that is too weak to stand up to them. We have a Leader of the Opposition who wants to be Prime Minister who cannot even stand up for the national interest on an issue as significant, as important, as this. We have a Leader of the Opposition who cannot even stand up for the national interest when former Prime Minister Hawke, former trade minister Simon Crean and former foreign minister Bob Carr and all of the Labor leaders at the state level can see what is right—that we should unequivocally support this very good deal for Australia. We have a pathetic Leader of the Opposition here in Canberra who cannot see what it is right, who cannot do what is right, for Australia's national interests and who is out there doing the bidding of a militant union movement and who, quite frankly, is not focused on the national interest and is not focused on jobs and growth. (Time expired)