Aust'n PM forces early opposition vote to approve China-Australia FTA

Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Tuesday moved a motion to force a vote on approving the historic China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA).

In an effort to speed up the process and force Labor to accept the deal negotiated between Australia and China, Abbott called on Opposition Leader Bill Shorten to rubber stamp the agreement.

Abbott said it would be "unconscionable" for Shorten to block the FTA, telling parliament that unless it was accepted in its " negotiated form," China would "walk away."

"It is a done deal. It cannot be renegotiated. It is a deal we take or leave," Abbott said.

Labor has voiced reservations over the deal, citing a raw deal for Australian workers -- an opinion shared by the workers' unions -- as reasons for its opposition to the ChAFTA in its current form.

Shorten has asked to amend the agreement, stating that "labour market testing" had to be compulsory for projects worth in excess of 110 million U.S. dollars.

This would ensure Australian citizens and permanent residents had a priority to apply for advertised jobs before those coming into Australia on a working 457 visa.

But Abbott has said there is nothing to hide in the deal, telling parliament that conditions, pay and safety standards would all be the same with or without the ChAFTA.

"Let me repeat that there is absolutely nothing possible under this agreement with China that is not already possible... that is not already possible including under free trade agreements negotiated by members opposite when they were in government," Abbott told parliament.

"There is no possibility of placing foreigners in Australian jobs without labour market testing," Abbott said.

Shorten moved to amend the agreement, asking that ChAFTA can " maximize job opportunities" for Australian workers, "protect overseas workers from exploitation and maintain Australian wages and conditions" as well as uphold Australian safety standards.

However, Abbott was stubborn to the idea of tweaking the terms, despite an offer from Shorten to sit down and sort out the differences.

Instead, the prime minister said the deal was one that was extremely beneficial to Australia, and acknowledged that the FTA was the only one that China had signed with a G20 nation.

He said it would give Australia "unparalleled access" to what will soon become the "biggest" market in the world. Endi