Labor welcomes the completion of negotiations for a free trade agreement with Japan but will scrutinise the agreement closely to ensure it is in Australias national interest.
Reducing barriers to trade can boost economic growth, create jobs, deliver more competitive industries and give consumers access to a wider range of goods and services at lower prices.
Australian beef and dairy are already strong exports to Japan and improvements in market access for farm goods like these will be an important boost for our agricultural industries.
However, Labor notes reports that the Abbott Government has agreed to tariffs which appear less beneficial than those secured for Australian beef in the recent free trade agreement with Korea.
Labor will examine the extent to which this agreement tackles non-tariff barriers to Australian exports to Japan, such as quotas, statutory import licensing and marketing arrangements and subsidies.
A genuinely comprehensive trade agreement needs to go beyond the focus on cows and cars by covering a wide range of goods and services as well as trade rules and mechanisms.
Labor would be concerned if the agreement includes Investor State Dispute Settlement provisions, which would allow Japanese companies to take legal action against the Australian Government.
Labor looks forward to examining the full terms of the proposed Australia-Japan agreement.
 
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