Labor Leaderless on FTA

Trade Minister Mark Vaile said events of the last 24 hours have confirmed Mark Latham has no idea where to turn on the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement. He lacks the courage to make a decision on the most significant trade agreement in Australia's history.

Last night the Leader of the Opposition was nowhere to be seen as the House of Representatives voted on the FTA. Fifteen Labor MPs crossed the floor to vote with the Government in supporting the FTA, while 41 abstained. Mr Latham, his foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd and seven other Labor members were not in the Parliament as debate on the legislation concluded and the vote took place.

The vote in the House of Representatives, which followed a strong endorsement of the FTA by former federal Labor leader Kim Beazley, confirmed what we already knew - that the Labor Party is deeply split on this issue.

That split was further evidenced today when NSW Premier Bob Carr, speaking on behalf of other State Labor Premiers, told a press conference in Canberra:

We are as one in thinking this in Australia's national interest. We manage state economies. We see huge benefits from Australia getting access to the dynanism of the North American economy. It's in Australia's interest. And some of the opposition has been far-fetched frankly. The sooner we get on with it, conclude that agreement, and provide opportunities for Australians to do well economically, and for this country to do well economically, the better.

Mr Carr's comments reinforce earlier and repeated endorsements of the FTA by other Premiers, and yet Mr Latham has never stepped back from his initial reaction to the conclusion of the FTA when he said:

"If we were asked to vote on it today, or in the parliament tomorrow, we would be opposing it."

Time is up, Mr Latham. Stand up to the isolated left-wing rump of your Labor caucus. Tell the AMWU, the leadership of the ACTU and other union militants to fall in line - and support the FTA.

If Mr Latham can't see this agreement - which promises a $6 billion annual boost to Australia's economy - is in the national interest, he is not to be taken seriously as Australia's alternative Prime Minister.

Contact: Matthew Doman (Ministerial) on 02 6277 7420