Rupert Murdoch calls China-Australia FTA "big chance" for jobs in Australia

Billionaire media mogul Rupert Murdoch has weighed in on the China-Australia free trade agreement (FTA), saying Trade Minister Andrew Robb had made "great progress, " calling it a "big chance for food, healthcare, jobs," should it be approved by Labor.

Murdoch made the comments on Thursday night in a series of posts to the social media network Twitter after recently spending a month in Australia, touring the offices of his News Corp newspapers.

In the posts, the Australian-turned-American, and head of News Corp, also called for a snap election in Australia, but not to turf out current Liberal Prime Minister Tony Abbott, but to reinstate him for a second term.

Murdoch said it was Australia's senate that was the main issue, labeling those in the upper house - and those that hold the ultimate power- as "extreme greenies" who are "against growth and subsequent jobs."

Murdoch said Abbott needed to call the snap election to snatch the balance of power in the senate from the minor parties, but it could be a risk as recent polls indicate Abbott's approval rating had slumped to just 37 percent.

"In spite of some blind spots, Abbott (is by) far the best alternative. Principled and a fighter," Murdoch tweeted.

While in the country, Murdoch also signed an Australian record deal for sport on television - a 1.76-billion-U.S dollar deal securing the nation's native football code on his Foxtel pay TV service. Endi