Member for Flynn Ken O’Dowd has refused to take part in what he calls “a fake debate” over the China Australia Free Trade Agreement.
Mr O’Dowd said unions campaigning against the FTA should “listen to their friends in the Labor Party”.
“This campaign being waged by the ACTU against the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement is counter-productive to creating opportunities for Australian businesses and workers,” Mr O’Dowd said.
“They are now taking the childish and deceptive tactic of staging mock debates across the country, including in our region, falsely advertising that local MPs will appear opposite a union representative.”
Mr O’Dowd said the ACTU was involved in a national campaign advertising “debates” between union representatives and local MPs on social media, distributing flyers, and conducting automated “robocalls” criticising MPs for not attending.
He said he had never agreed to a debate because the FTA now had the support of the Federal Opposition which mades the debate concept “irrelevant”.
“”I never accepted an invitation to attend this fake debate because the deal now has bipartisan support in the House,” he said.
“This campaign is irrelevant and I will not accept an invitation to a debate that serves no purpose…I will not humour the unions!
“I urge the unions to stop their rot and support an agreement that has clear benefits for Australia.”
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