MEMBER for Pearce Christian Porter said winemakers and farmers in Pearce will receive an unprecedented boost from the free trade agreement with Japan announced by the government last week.
He said local wheat, beef, pork, sheep, fruit, vegetable, seafood, wine and beer exporters were the big winners in the historic agreement, with the elimination, or significant reduction in export tariffs to Japan.
"This agreement follows the recent announcement of free trade agreements with Korea and will provide a marked benefit to businesses within Pearce, as well as help to create more local jobs in our local communities," Mr Porter said.
"With the elimination of wheat and wine tariffs, this agreement represents a tremendous step forward for our Swan Valley wine producers and Wheatbelt farmers and will help strengthen our local economy and grow local jobs in these important regions.
"Other local industries, including vegetable and fruit growers, broad-acre farmers, seafood exporters, cattle, pork and sheep farmers from as far north as Lancelin and as far south as Beverley will benefit from the agreement which will drive exports and ensure Australia remains competitive against some of our biggest trading competition countries like the United States, European Union and Chile.
"Australia is the first agricultural country to sign an agreement of this kind with Japan that has never been done before and puts our local exporters at a major competitive advantage," Mr Porter said.
Mr Porter said the two agreements also meant that business services firms in Pearce would have a level of access to Korea and Japan previously unseen.
"Accountants, architects, lawyers, engineers, financial planners and environmental planning professionals, as well as international education providers and telecommunications professions, will all be able to undertake work in Korea and Japan," Mr Porter said.
"Services is 70 per cent of our Australian economy and for our services industry to develop further working relation ships with these two huge Asian economic leaders will create further jobs.
"Building stronger trading relationships in Asia is critical to Australia's economic future, and the coalition government is committed to further developing our trading relationships around the region, and globally."
