The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the biggest ever of its kind, will strip away thousands of trade tariffs in the region and be a significant step in advancing the opportunities for Australia’s agriculture, in some of the world’s largest economies.

Member for New England Barnaby Joyce said the TPP provides significant advantages for Australian agriculture, with major improvements to access for beef, dairy, grains, cotton, sugar, horticulture, rice, seafood and wine across 11 countries, five of which are Australia’s top 10 trading partners.

“We currently export approximately $15 billion—or around 33 per cent—of agricultural products to TPP countries, with many of our products currently facing high tariffs that add to the cost of exports,” he said.

“The TPP will eliminate tariffs on more than $4.3 billion worth of exports of Australian agricultural products.

“Reduced tariffs and improved access to TPP countries will be available for beef, sheep meat, pork, livestock, dairy, wine, seafood, wool, cotton, grains and a range of horticultural products.”

Mr Joyce added that Australian beef exporters will see Japan’s beef tariffs reduced and Canadian beef tariffs eliminated.

“For Australian beef exports, we will see Japan’s beef tariffs reduced to nine per cent within 15 years of entry into force of the TPP,” he said.

“Also the elimination of the United States’ price-based safeguard under the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement on entry into force and Canadian beef tariffs will be eliminated over 11 years.”

New England Greens candidate Mercurius Goldstein said that it remains to be seen what, if anything will come for Australian farmers and families out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. 

“What we do know is that there has been insufficient transparency around the negotiations, potentially leaving our health and education sectors vulnerable to corporate raiders,” he said.

“For Australia, there is far more at stake in this deal than goods and services, the real purpose of the TPP is actually not trade at all. It is for the USA to secure a strategic bloc that excludes China, as a counter-weight in its rivalry with the other superpower of this century.

“Our current and future national interest lies in negotiating openly and democratically with all the nations of the world, instead of the closed-door deals we keep getting from this Liberal-Nationals government.”

However, Shadow Minister for Agriculture Joel Fitzgibbon said Labor welcomed the finalisation of negotiations for the TPP. 

“This news comes at the end of five years of negotiations under both Labor and Liberal Governments,” he said.

“The TPP has significant potential benefits for Australia including improving market access for our goods and services in 12 countries accounting for 40 per cent of global GDP.”