Penny Wong, CHINA FTA NEEDS SAFEGUARDS, NOT MORE ADVERTISEMENTS

SENATOR THE HON PENNY WONG

SHADOW MINISTER FOR TRADE AND INVESTMENT

MEDIA RELEASE

4 October 2015

TOPIC: CHINA FTA

Reports today that the Liberal Party is planning an advertising campaign labelling concerns over the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement racist show nothing has changed under Malcolm Turnbull.
Instead of answering genuine questions about the China FTA Tony Abbott resorted to playing the race card.
Now it appears Malcolm Turnbull has taken over where Mr Abbott left off.
The Abbott/Turnbull Government is spending almost $25 million of taxpayers’ money advertising free trade agreements.
The Government has also doubled its spending on market research on selling their agreements from $275,000 to $500,000.
Labor’s concerns about the agreement are about ensuring there are proper safeguards for Australian jobs in the enabling legislation.
Labor supports a China FTA that delivers jobs for Australians.
The China FTA needs safeguards, not an advertising campaign.
It won’t cost money to fix the problem, but it will require Malcolm Turnbull to work with Labor to address our reasonable concerns about safeguards for Australian jobs.