Trade and Investment Minister Andrew Robb has failed to explain why the China Australia Free Trade Agreement finalised by the Abbott Government omits labour market testing for temporary visa holders and abandons mandatory skills assessments for temporary workers in key occupations including the electrical and plumbing trades.
Labor has some simple questions and the responsible Minister should answer them:

• Will the Abbott Government honour its promise to maintain labour market testing for 457 visa holders?

• How will the Abbott Government ensure Australian workers have access to new job opportunities on Australian work sites?

• Why has the Abbott Government abolished mandatory skills assessments for Chinese workers in ten critical occupations?

• Is the abolition of mandatory skills assessments based on advice from Australian occupational and trades skills regulators?

• How will safety standards be maintained once mandatory skills assessments are abolished?

• Why did Mr Robb agree to the inclusion of Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions when the Howard Government successfully negotiated agreements without them?

Labor wants to ensure ChAFTA is a high-quality trade agreement that achieves genuine market access for Australian exporters and supports and creates Australian jobs.
The Australian public deserve answers from Mr Robb not more stonewalling so that Parliament can make that assessment.