QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator FARRELL (South Australia—Minister for Trade and Tourism, Special Minister of State and Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) (15:06): Thank you, Senator O'Neill. I know you realise the benefits of this new agreement for your great state of New South Wales. I'm pleased to say that yesterday afternoon, on a visit with Maros Sefcovic, we reached agreement on the FTA with the European Union.

Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order across the chamber, but in particular on my left! Senator FARRELL: This is a historic achievement. It's a deal that delivers for Australian farmers, Australian miners, Australian manufacturers, winemakers, service suppliers and many, many more.

This government does not do deals just for— Senator McKenzie: It was a bad deal then; it's a bad deal now. The PRESIDENT: Senator McKenzie, I've called the chamber to order, and your constant interjecting is disorderly and disrespectful to me and this chamber. Senator FARRELL: We only do deals when they are in our national interest—outcomes that deliver for all Australians.

This is a once-in-a-generation trade agreement with the world's largest economy. It opens access to a market of 27 countries and 450 million consumers, which is a huge opportunity for our world-class producers, farmers, winemakers, businesses and exporters. Lower tariffs on imports from the EU, including what's on the shelf at supermarkets, will create more choices at lower prices and provide some further, welcome relief to those Aussies who are doing it tough right now.

This deal also shows the Albanese government's commitment to a rules based system at a time of global uncertainty. A trade agreement with the EU means that our network of free trade agreements covers almost 90 per cent of the globe. Australia is a trading nation, and we've always been a trading nation.

One in four Australian jobs relates to trade. Labor is always delivering for Australian workers, and this historic deal is yet another example of the Albanese government's commitment to growing the Australian economy and ensuring everyone— (Time expired) The PRESIDENT: Senator O'Neill, first supplementary?