Labor believes in trade liberalisation and open markets, and we also want a free trade agreement with China that puts Australian jobs first. That shouldn't be too much to ask, writes Bill Shorten.

Labor wants the best possible free trade agreement with China; one that creates and protects Australian jobs.

A high-quality deal that creates high-skill, fair-paying jobs here in Australia, and ensures Australians are given the first opportunity to do them.

Right now, much of current debate about the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement is being conducted with the volume on high and the temperature turned right up.

In this kind of overheated environment, words can be twisted and facts can be obscured.

So let's get a few things straight.

Firstly, Labor believes in trade liberalisation. We believe in free trade and the bilateral and multilateral agreements that support it.

And we will support quality free trade agreements from Opposition.

Not because of extreme ideology or unthinking orthodoxy, but because we believe in making free trade, open markets and economic change work for the benefit of the Australian people.

Labor knows open markets are the best way of achieving economic growth and economic growth is the best way of creating good jobs.

Secondly, as the party of APEC and the Asian Century, Labor believes in an Australia engaged with our region.

We know more trade with Asia is an essential part of building a high-skill, high-wage future for all Australians.

If we get this agreement with China right, everyone can benefit.

Our hard-working farmers will be able to get their high quality produce onto the Chinese market more easily, and our growing services industry and emerging advanced manufacturing sector will have access to new opportunities too.

But we need to get the agreement right, and this means doing the right thing by Australian workers.

As I've said many times, there is nothing for Australia to gain from a race to the bottom with our neighbours on wages and conditions.

There will always be other countries that have more people, willing to work longer for less money.

Our goal should be to play to Australia's strengths. We are a high-skill workforce, good at doing high quality work, in a safe workplace, for a fair wage.

This principle is at the heart of Labor's specific, very real concerns with the current trade deal being proposed by Mr Abbott and the Liberals.

Again, let's look at the facts.

As it stands, the agreement would allow employers to fly-in temporary workers for infrastructure projects worth more than $150 million without having to first check whether Australian workers are available to do this job.

Through the Investment Facilitation Arrangements, this means that a company could, for example, build a new hotel in the CBD and not have to advertise in the local paper or seek.com for Australian workers first.

This is explicitly outlined in the memorandum of understanding attached to this agreement.

A side letter to the deal also outlines the option of removing mandatory skills assessments for temporary migrants in key trades: from carpenters and machine and motor mechanics to joiners and electricians.

I've met too many victims of industrial injuries and their families, to sign up to reducing skills and safety standards on worksites.

These are Labor's core concerns: upholding Australian safety standards and Australian conditions, and protecting Australian jobs.

It should not be beyond Mr Abbott and Mr Robb to sit down with us and talk about legislative safeguards to address these issues, especially considering the Parliament is yet to even see the enabling legislation.

Over the last decade, governments from both sides of politics have worked very hard to bring this deal together.

It's no secret Mr Abbott relishes confrontation and conflict, but just once, I ask him to put his stubborn adversarial politics aside and work with Labor to get the best possible deal with China.

Let's work to guarantee that Australian workers always get first opportunity before overseas workers are considered.

Let's work to ensure overseas workers aren't exploited, and a few unscrupulous employers are not undercutting Australian wages.

And let's be honest about safety on Australian work sites, and work to ensure that the skills and qualifications of tradies are of the highest standard.

We want a free trade agreement with China that puts Australian jobs first.

That shouldn't be too much to ask.

Bill Shorten is the Federal Member for Maribyrnong and Leader of the Opposition.