Mr Tehan visited Coastal Seafarms with special envoy for trade Andrew Robb, citing the expanding business as a beneficiary of recent free trade agreement negotiations.

“The abalone farm has just done a big redevelopment that’s basically doubled their production and a large part of the certainty that’s been created from them has been due to the Chinese free trade agreement and Japanese free trade agreement,” Mr Tehan said.

“It’s doubled their production and most of that will go to China, but importantly it’s pretty much doubled the amount of jobs at the abalone farm. 

“It shows how locally we’re building on the national campaign of jobs and growth.

“We’re making sure businesses can capitalise on free trade agreements and continue to generate growth and jobs from that. 

“The visit to the abalone farm was a real demonstration on that.”

Mr Tehan also highlighted the Coalition’s planned tax cuts for small businesses, which “will generate job growth in the electorate”.

Mr Tehan said that in Wannon it would translate to infrastructure spending, such as “building on the $600 million spent on road in the last term in Wannon”.

He said Portland would also benefit from the $220 million being spent on the Murray Basin rail plan, which “opens up northern Victoria to the Port of Portland”, and that he would continue to support Portland’s Alcoa smelter.

However Mr Tehan rejected criticism the Coalition’s support for big polluters – the smelter was excluded from the Renewable Energy Target – was proof his party wasn’t doing enough to fight climate change.

“My view is you need to get the balance right because you still need industry and jobs in electorates across the country,” he said.

“Australia’s environment record is one of the best in the world and the reason it’s one of the best in the world is because we’re able to sustain economic growth while dealing with environmental issues. You get a win-win situation. There are environmental benefits but you make sure (you still) drive jobs and economic growth.”