Canning voters know China FTA key:Cormann

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann believes the debate over the free trade agreement with China will be central to the by-election in the WA.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says the voters in the Canning by-election know the importance of signing the free trade agreement with China.

The Western Australian senator said Canning voters, who will go to the polls on September 19, are aware of the importance of the FTA to WA.

"I'd like to think the people in Canning will reject this dishonest, populous, racist campaign (against the FTA being run by unions and Labor)," he told Sky News on Sunday.