Labor is alarmed at reports the Prime Minister considers his October 2014 deadline for concluding a Free Trade Agreement with China more important than negotiating a good outcome for Australian exporters.
Prime Ministerial petulance shouldnt result in Australia walking away from the negotiating table or accepting a deal that sells out Australian exporters and workers.
Its not just Labor critical of the Prime Ministers decision on 7 October last year to impose a 12 month deadline for the conclusion of negotiations on China FTA.
Just last week the Agriculture Minister, Barnaby Joyce, ridiculed the Prime Ministers negotiating strategy, saying: If I say Im going to buy a house at 12 oclock tonight then all the negotiating skills are in your hands because you can determine the price, knowing Ive stated publically Im going to buy a house.
This criticism of the Prime Minister, together with backgrounding by government sources on the quality of concessions extracted by Trade Minister, Andrew Robb, suggests the current negotiations are in a shambles just days from Australias self-imposed deadline.
A China FTA must deliver markedly improved access for Australian exporters, and create job opportunities for Australians.
The interests of our agricultural industries, and the integrity of our migration system including labour market testing rules must not be traded away in pursuit of a second-rate agreement.