Free trade agreement to ‘level playing field’

Canberra’s peak business body has publicly backed Australia’s free trade agreement with China, labelling it an “important step in levelling the playing field”. The Canberra Business Chamber has come out in favour of the preferential agreement with Australia’s largest trading partner, which covers two-way trade worth $152 billion a year. Shaw Vineyard Estate owner Graeme Shaw has recently set up distribution for his cool-climate wines in Shanghai. He said his numbers of enquiries from China have “at least doubled” in the past 12 months.