The China Australia Free Trade Agreement will help to grow Tasmania’s economy and create jobs by unlocking further opportunities for our primary producers.
China is one of our state’s largest trading partners and presents an enormous wealth of opportunity for Tasmania as it grows an increasing appetite for our fresh, clean and safe produce.
For too long our premium export products including dairy, beef and seafood have been disadvantaged by significant tariffs, while our competitors like New Zealand and Chile have been trading under FTAs since 2008 and 2006 respectively.
The FTA will allow Tasmanian farmers to increase exports between Tasmania and China, which will keep the momentum in the economy and create jobs on farms and in regional towns.
Importantly, it includes removing tariffs across dairy, beef, wine and horticultural products like apples, cherries and vegetables.
When the China Australia FTA was announced, the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association said: “This agreement will open bilateral investment opportunities in agriculture that have eluded us for far too long.” During a visit to China last year, Fruit Growers Tasmania said: “It’s absolutely amazing when you see the scale and interest in Tasmanian from here.”
Meanwhile, all Labor wants to do is tear up the agreement. Labor doesn’t support Tasmanian farmers. Labor doesn’t support Tasmanian jobs. Labor still doesn’t have a plan.
What’s more bizarre is that on one hand Labor wants to promote organic dairy to maximise exports with our Asian trading partners, yet they are promoting a disgraceful and xenophobic scare campaign aimed at our trading partners.
The signing of the Free Trade Agreement is good for Tasmania. Labor should get on board or get out of the way.
The Hodgman Liberal Government is committed to building on our competitive strengths and we have a plan to grow the value of our agricultural sector ten-fold to $10 billion per year by 2050, and the China Australia Free Trade Agreement will help to achieve this.
More Media Releases from Jeremy Rockliff
More Media Releases from the Minister for Primary Industries and Water