The ‘Lonely Bill’ List

The list of Labor figures throwing support behind the China Australia Free Trade Agreement is growing by the day – all except lonely Bill Shorten.

“ChAFTA will provide opportunities for Australian businesses to expand into the Chinese market, meaning more economic activity and more jobs for local workers,” Senator Richard Colbeck, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture, said.

“Bill Shorten’s failure to stand up to the union bosses is threatening this agreement and is threatening Australia’s reputation. It’s putting at risk jobs for Australian families and broader benefits for the Australian community.

“If Bill Shorten stops this free trade agreement, the Financial Services Council says it would cost our economy $4.2 billion and 10,000 extra jobs.

“It seems that each day another Labor figure comes out in support of ChAFTA – they recognise the importance of the agreement and are crying out for it to be supported in the Parliament.

“Bill Shorten needs to ditch the union bosses and join past Labor prime ministers, Labor premiers and other Labor luminaries by fully supporting ChAFTA.”

Labor Leaders’ positions on ChAFTA
Supporting ChAFTA and jobs Against ChAFTA and jobs
Victorian Labor Premier, Daniel Andrews
South Australia Labor Premier, Jay Weatherill
Former Labor Prime Minister, Bob Hawke
Former NSW Labor Premier and Foreign Minister, Bob Carr
Former Labor Leader and Trade Minister, Simon Crean
Former Labor Resources Minister, Martin Ferguson
Former Victorian Labor Premier, John Brumby
Former Queensland Labor Premier, Peter Beattie
Former Tasmanian Labor Premier, Lara Giddings
Labor’s Chief Minister in the ACT, Andrew Barr
NSW State Opposition Leader, Luke Foley
Queensland Labor Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk Labor leader Bill Shorten

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Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture, Senator Richard Colbeck