Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Trade and Investment, Senator Payne—and Senator Abetz will be pleased to know it is about the Chinese free trade deal and the jobs it will provide. Minister, recently, in response to a question on the benefits of the Korean, Japanese and Chinese free trade agreements, you stated that modelling shows that between 2016 and 2035 there will be 178,000 additional jobs created as a result of these deals. This figure was also repeated by the former Prime Minister, Mr Abbott—that sounds satisfying—in the other place and recently by Senator Abetz in the Senate. In his media statements, the Minister for Trade has also referred to hundreds and thousands of jobs being created. Minister, did you take this figure from the government's report on the impact of these trade deals which was done by the Centre for International Economics? If so, why are you quoting a figure of 178,000 jobs when the report explains there will be only 5,434 jobs in 2035?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Whish-Wilson for his question. In fact, he has correctly observed that they are observations I have made in this chamber, that Minister Robb has made, that Mr Abbott has made and that a number of other enthusiastic supporters of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement have also made. I think if you wanted to look more accurately at the industries and at examples in our region of the huge potential in this China-Australia Free Trade Agreement then you could go to the evidence provided by Prime Minister John Key from New Zealand, who has said:

I'm a massive proponent of free trade, and the benefits of our FTA have been 11 times greater than the most optimistic estimates. The numbers speak for themselves. Having negotiated an agreement that is high quality, you'd like to grab it with both hands. New Zealand will be quite happy to do it if you don't.

In fact, as I understand it, the New Zealand record shows a quintupling of the benefits that they were expecting under their free trade agreement.

You could also listen to the words of the dairy industry, who have said the free trade agreement will create 600 to 700 jobs in that industry in the first year alone. The Financial Services Council, which I have also referred to, said that the agreement would result in the creation of 10,000 new jobs by 2030 in the financial services sector alone. We have other examples, like New South Wales—

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. My question was specifically about the government's report—the only report that I am aware of—by the Centre for International Economics, which is on the DFAT website, which stated 5,434 jobs versus the minister's stated 178,000. That is out by a factor of 33 or 3,300 per cent. I wanted a clear answer on that.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Whish-Wilson. I will remind the minister of the question. She has 21 seconds in which to answer.

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am very grateful for Senator Whish-Wilson's continued reference to the great value of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement. The more he acts as a sceptic and the more he continues in the negative way that he is, the more damage there is to Australia's reputation as an open and free trading country. If that is what the Greens want to do then that is a matter for them. (Time expired)

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Damage to our reputation is actually more about how misleading the government has been on this. As I said, the figures are out by 3,300 per cent. This is a significant error. Minister, on behalf of the government and the Minister for Trade will you please take this opportunity to correct the record? Can you explain if you were deliberately misleading the Senate and the Australian people or if this was just an embarrassing mistake or an oversight?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What I will take the opportunity to do, in response to Senator Whish-Wilson's invitation, is re-emphasise what a groundbreaking opportunity this is for this nation. I will take the opportunity to confirm the value of the initiatives under the free trade agreement—like the ones I was speaking about before. In fact, I did not finish those, so I might go back to them. For example, we have the Seafood Trade Advisory Group. If I were from Tasmania—

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. You have been very good in drawing the minister's attention to the question. This was a very, very simple question: does the minister stand by the figure of 170,000 jobs, or will she correct the record as indicated on the DFAT website?

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Di Natale. I will remind the minister of the question and advise that she has 32 seconds in which to answer.

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was talking about Tasmania and the importance of the seafood industry to Tasmania, as I recall, and the Seafood Trade Advisory Group. We are talking about numbers of jobs, which is what Senator Whish-Wilson asked me about.

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. I think you know where I am about to go, Mr President. I ask you to draw the minister's attention to the question. It is a very simple one: does the minister stand by the figure of 170,000 jobs, or will she now correct the record? This is very, very serious. Will she correct the record? Otherwise, she has misled the Senate.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Di Natale. I will remind the minister that she has 18 seconds left in which to answer.

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have said that I stand by what I have said in this place, and I stand by what Minister Robb has said in relation to the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement. If that is not clear enough for Senator Whish-Wilson and his leader then I fail to see what would be.

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Given that the employment figures the government have been touting are complete bunkum and that it is a significant matter of public interest for the Australian people to know this, does the minister accept that this totally undermines the government's credibility on claims about 'rivers of gold' resulting from these trade deals, and what else has the government misled the Australian people on regarding these free trade agreements?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I absolutely do not accept Senator Whish-Wilson's characterisation of that in any way, shape or form. What I do accept is the evidence provided by countless numbers of industry organisations and businesses in this country who are just waiting for the opportunity to take up the chances under the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement to transform their industries, to transform their businesses, and to create jobs in this country. If the Greens and those opposite are not prepared to support the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement to enable it to come into force by the end of this year so that we can have a first set of tariff reductions before the end of this year and a second set of tariff reductions next year, then they are putting in jeopardy those jobs. We will not do that.