Andrew Leigh

GOVERNMENT DEVOTES HALF A PERSON TO ITS “HIGH IMPORTANCE” TRADE DEAL

The Turnbull Government’s pretence of action on trade liberalisation has again been exposed by revelations at Senate Estimates that there is less than one staff member in the government currently working on one of its top trade priorities.

Last September, Trade Minister Steve Ciobo told an audience in Brussels that the Trade in Services Agreement was ‘of high importance to both our policy and commercial interests and to the future health of the global economy’.

(Source: website of The Hon Steve Ciobo MP,  Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment – Speeches, Address to the European Parliament, 8 September 2016).

So how many full-time staff does the Turnbull government have working on this matter of high importance to the future health of the global economy?

Justin Brown, Deputy Secretary DFAT: On TISA? … less than one staff member at the moment.

The Turnbull Government’s trade stance is all swagger and no sweat.

Malcolm Turnbull has delivered no new free trade agreements, creating zero new jobs. 

And now we know why.

FRIDAY, 3 MARCH 2017