There has been a lot of publicity surrounding the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) that was signed in June this year. It is said to "lay a historic foundation for the next phase of Australia's economic relationship with China". It is also noted to allow Australia access to what we could refer to as a global economic force that extends our chance to tap into such resources.
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The agreement does, however, pose some concerns for our region, particularly in the building and construction industry. There is quite a lot of propaganda that points out the misconceptions about the ChAFTA and attempts to clarify and reassure the Australian public. Some of the common concerns that have been mentioned in the ACT building and construction industry but which are not directly addressed include:
· The way that the Australian workforce, particularly the construction industry, will be affected by an influx of Chinese workers. Will this put Aussie workers out of jobs?
· The lack of skill, experience and suitable qualifications for construction workers. How do we ensure that all workers meet the minimum requirements?
· The quality of products being supplied to Australia. How will Australia continue to regulate this to ensure that such products meet the relevant Australian standards?
· The regulation of student and working visas of foreign travellers.
The building and construction industry is highly regulated in the ACT. In order for construction workers to get on site they need to have a white card, have received their asbestos awareness training, have been inducted to the site ... the list goes on. They are also required to have read and understood safety documentation, and be able to read and comply with plans and specifications. We do need to consider how these barriers can affect our industry and what we can do about it to ensure the sustainability and suitability of our workforce.
It is not all doom and gloom, though, as I think there are a lot of cross-cultural learning opportunities that also come from the ChAFTA, such as the development of more eco-friendly development. Australia can learn a lot from our newest trading partner, China.
