Labor wary of flood of Chinese workers

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says the Abbott government's free trade deal with China will sell out Australian jobs and conditions as he seeks amendments.

Chinese and Australian officials sign a free trade agreement

Bill Shorten has vowed to rework the China free trade deal in order to safeguard Australian jobs. (AAP) Source: AAP

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has warned against Australia opening up the floodgates for Chinese workers as part of the free trade deal inked last year.

Mr Shorten has vowed to rework the trade deal and will propose amendments when it comes before parliament to protect local employment opportunities and conditions.

"No way can Labor simply just expect to rubber stamp a deal which sells out Australian jobs," he told reporters in Launceston on Wednesday.

He reiterated his support for free trade but warned that not every deal was a quality agreement.

"We want to make sure where you have unemployment and Australians willing to work, this trade agreement doesn't open the floodgates and let these people be done in in favour of other arrangements," Mr Shorten said.

In an opinion piece in The Australian newspaper Mr Shorten has accused Prime Minister Tony Abbott of "hiding the truth of his bad agreement" by getting the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to "propagate myths".

ACTU president Ged Kearney told ABC Radio on Wednesday there were concerns the deal would undermine local wages and jobs.

She urged Labor "to use every parliamentary process available" to block the implementation of parts of the agreement that will undermine local workers.


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Source: AAP


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