AUSTRALIA’S historic free trade agreement with China has broad community support and needs the same bipartisan approach from its politicians, says Federal Lyons MP Eric Hutchinson.
Mr Hutchinson said today he was disappointed that neither Tasmanian Federal Franklin MP Julie Collins, nor Federal Denison MP Andrew Wilkie or the Federal Opposition generally had so far given their support for the agreement.
“Yet this is one of the best things to happen for Tasmania in particular, for years,” Mr Hutchinson said.
Tasmanian farmers were among the many agri-business people across the country who wanted the China Free Trade Agreement, Mr Hutchinson said.
Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association rural affairs manager Nick Steel said only last week that if Australia did not go ahead with the agreement it would continue to lag behind New Zealand and it would no longer be a level playing field for Tasmanian producers.
“As the Prime Minister said today, it’s important for people in the Parliament to understand that this is the only free trade agreement that China has done with another G20 country,” Mr Hutchinson said.
The agreement is the result of a decade of hard work to create this opportunity for Australia, he said.
It represents the single largest trade deal that Australia has ever achieved.
Two-way trade with China now is worth more than $152 billion and Australia’s exports to China account for nearly six per cent of our GDP.
“This comprehensive agreement is a platform for broadening and deepening trade and investment into the future,” Mr Hutchinson said.
“Tasmania’s beef and sheep farmers will gain from the phased abolition of tariffs ranging from 12 to 24 per cent,’’ Mr Hutchinson said.
“And our agricultural products to benefit range from cherries to wine and red meat.
“There will be huge benefit for the first time for a range of Tasmanian service industries like education, health and aged care.”
Taxes on bilateral trade tariffs will almost all be removed, most in the first few years and on 96 per cent of the country’s exports when the agreement is fully implemented.
Tasmania’s agriculture sector will be able to capitalise on its well-deserved clean, green producer of premium and beverage products.
Tariffs will be progressively abolished for Australia’s $13 billion dairy industry and all tariffs on Australian horticulture will be eliminated.
Mr Hutchinson urged all Federal politicians, especially Tasmania’s Federal representatives, to get behind the trade agreement so that this state in particular can benefit from its results.
Federal Lyons MHR Eric Hutchinson
