澳洲工會反對中澳自貿協定 Canberra's trade deal with Beijing faces union opposition
It took a decade to negotiate, offers benefits to Australian businesses and is arguably the flagship achievement of prime minister Tony Abbott, but the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement could be derailed by a trade union campaign.
中澳自由貿易協定(China-Australia Free Trade Agreement)在談判了10年後達成，將給澳大利亞企業帶來許多利益，可以說是澳大利亞總理託尼縠伯特(Tony Abbott)的最大成就，但該協定可能因工會作梗而受阻。
The deal, which was signed in June but requires legislation to be passed in parliament, would cut tariffs and remove other impediments to exports while relaxing rules on Chinese inward investment. It underpins a deepening relationship between Canberra and Beijing, which this year saw Australia join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank against the wishes of its key ally, the US.
該協定簽署於今年6月，但它需要在議會通過、形成立法。它將削減關稅，取消其他出口障礙，同時將放寬針對中國投資流入的規則。它有助於推動澳中關係進一步深化。今年，澳大利亞不顧關鍵盟國美國的反對，加入了亞投行(AIIB)。
“It’s a good deal for Australia and it certainly doesn’t need to be reworked or in any way renegotiated,” said Mr Abbott, the Liberal party premier. “I call on the Labor party to stop playing xenophobic games here.”
“這項協定對澳大利亞非常有利，它肯定不需要修訂，或以任何方式重新談判”，自由黨(Liberal Party)總理艾伯特表示。“我呼籲工黨(Labor party)停止在這件事上玩排外遊戲。”
But opposition to the deal is causing difficulties in passing legislation in the senate before the end of the year. Trade unions, including the powerful Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union, have organised nationwide protests and have financed an advertising blitz against the agreement.
但是，該協定遭遇的反對，給年底前在參議院通過立法造成了困難。包括強大的建築、林業、採礦和能源工會(CFMEU)在內，各工會組織了全國性抗議，並出資進行了反對該協定的密集廣告宣傳。
“This clause in the trade deal would lead to an influx of Chinese labour at the expense of local workers,” said Michael O’Connor, CFMEU national secretary. “We favour permanent immigration, rather than temporary migration.”
“貿易協定裏的這一條款將導致中國勞工的涌入，損害本國工人的利益，”建築、森林、採礦與能源工會的全國總幹事邁克爾攠康納(Michael O’Connor)說。“我們支持永久性移民，不支持臨時遷移。”
The Labor party, which helped negotiate the agreement while in power between 2007-2013, is supporting the unions. Penny Wong, Labor’s trade spokesman, said the deal failed to ensure that skilled foreign workers were only employed when there were insufficient local labourers.
工黨在2007年至2013年執政時曾幫助談判該協定，如今卻支持工會。工黨貿易事務發言人黃英賢(Penny Wong)表示，該協定未能保證一個前提條件：那就是唯有在當地工人不足的情況下，才能僱傭技能熟練的外國工人。
It also includes a memorandum of understanding on projects worth A$150m ($110m) or more that are funded by Chinese investment, committing Canberra to negotiate special migration arrangements for these projects. Under the current rules, the threshold is A$2bn of project investment.
該協定也包括一項涉及1.5億澳元（合1.1億美元）或金額更高的項目的諒解備忘錄，這些項目由中國投資支持，要求澳大利亞爲這些項目談判特別的重新安置安排。按現行規則，項目投資門檻爲20億澳元。
The government said Labor’s concerns were a red herring as adequate safeguards already exist in Australian law. Some experts warn the union’s campaign risks exacerbating an undercurrent of anti-Chinese sentiment in Australia.
澳大利亞政府表示，工黨的所謂擔憂不過是要轉移注意力，因爲澳大利亞法律已經提供了充分保障。一些專家警告稱，工會組織的反對運動可能加劇澳大利亞國內的反華情緒暗流。
“There are clearly some segments of the population that are uncomfortable with Chinese buying property or agricultural land,” said Kerry Brown, director of the Chinese Studies Centre at Sydney University.
“目前，明顯有部分澳大利亞人對中國人購買房產或農地感到不安，”悉尼大學(University of Sydney)中國研究中心主任克里布朗(Kerry Brown)說。
