Executive Summary
MAFTA is a comprehensive, high-quality agreement that further integrates the Australian
economy into the fast-growing Asian region. The Agreement builds on benefits already flowing
to the Australian economy from the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement,
which started for Australia and Malaysia in 2010. This study details the Malaysia-Australia Free
Trade Agreement benefits Australian exporters, importers and consumers by opening markets
and freeing trade and investment between our two countries. The Agreement builds on the
commitments made by both countries in Australia's regional Free Trade Agreement with
ASEAN and New Zealand. Australian industries to benefit include milk; automotives; processed
foods; plastics; chemicals and a range of manufactured products; wine; iron and steel; and rice.
Significant gains have also been achieved for services and investment through access to majority
ownership in companies in a wide range of sectors including education; financial;
telecommunications and professional services. Suppliers in other industries such as tourism,
research and development and mining-related services will also be guaranteed the right to
majority ownership. The Malaysia-Australia Free Trade Agreement is another step forward for
Australia in the Asian Century. The Agreement reduces trade barriers, making it easier for
Australians to do business in Malaysia. The Malaysia-Australia Free Trade Agreement
(MAFTA) builds on the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA (AANZFTA) to open up new
opportunities for Australian investors and suppliers of goods and services, bringing our
economies closer together. This high-quality free trade agreement improves access to the
Malaysian market for Australian businesses and makes it easier for Australian workers and their
families to live and work in Malaysia. MAFTA makes it easier for Australian goods exporters to
enter the Malaysian market. It does this by lowering or eliminating the tariffs that Malaysia
imposes on imports from Australia. This will help make Australian businesses more competitive
in Malaysia. MAFTA lowers the cost of Malaysian products and inputs for Australian consumers
and businesses, as no tariffs are imposed on Malaysian goods entering Australia. MAFTA gives
Australian service providers better access to the Malaysian market and reduces a number of other
barriers to trade. Skilled Australian workers will find it easier to take up employment
opportunities in Malaysia. Free trade agreements provide a framework for Australia's
commercial relationship with trading partners, increase trade and investment opportunities, bring
money into the Australian economy and help create jobs. Australia pursues high-quality,
comprehensive trade agreements when they offer net benefits to Australia, are World Trade
Organization-consistent, and support the global trade system. MAFTA provides an opportunity
for Australian agricultural producers to capitalize on the increasing Malaysian demand for
Australia's top quality food and fibre. These changes will generate growth and employment in
services industries in which Australia has specialist skills. Australia's expertise in professional
services and financial services can now more easily be exported to Malaysia. Australian
investors will benefit from increases in foreign equity limits for specified services in the
education, financial services, telecommunications and professional services industries. Apart
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Australia Malaysia Free Trade Agreement

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