The Hon. Kevin Hogan MP
Federal Member for Page
Shadow Minister for Trade and Tourism
MEDIA RELEASE
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Friday 11 August 2023
Labor set to trash Australia’s free trade agreements to appease the unions
At least ten of Australia’s free trade agreements (FTA) are now in jeopardy following Labor’s acquiescence to the unions anti-trade agenda, Kevin Hogan, Shadow Minister for Trade and Tourism said today.
In its 2023 ALP Draft National Platform, the Labor Party commits the Albanese Labor Government to renegotiate existing trade agreements that contain Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS)clauses.
“We know the unions do not like trade. Only in September last year the CFMEU called for the UKFTA to be scrapped adding that, it was not “generally supportive of free trade agreements,” Mr Hogan said.
“Labor’s policy means the Government renegotiating our FTAs with China, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, ASEAN, Chile, Peru, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and the Indo-Pacific’s largest trade pact – the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
“These FTAs are critical to Australia’s economic prosperity and jobs creation.
“Our FTAs give us competitive access to some of the largest and most dynamic economies in the world.
“When the unions last dictated Labor’s trade policy under the Gillard Government, we saw negotiations on free trade agreements, such as the deal with the Republic of Korea come to a stand-still.
“It took a change of government and the Coalition’s understanding of business to get the FTA with the Republic of Korea completed.
“Without ISDS provisions ten of Australia’s sixteen free trade agreements would never have been done and the economic opportunities for Australians would never have been realised.”
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Media Contact: Kevin Hogan – 0428 291 307 or Alison Penfold – 0408 633 026
