The petition calls on plans to remove parallel import restrictions on the Printing and Publishing Industries to be rejected.

The lifting of the restrictions could result in the loss of jobs in the Bendigo Electorate, especially in Maryborough where McPherson’s Print Group, the largest employer in town, is based.

"Maryborough has a population of just over 8000 people so almost half of the population has recorded strong opposition to the removal of parallel import restrictions,” Mr Gibbons said.

“They know this has the potential to decimate Maryborough’s biggest employer, McPherson’s Print Group which employee about 300 to 350 Maryborough residents,” he said.

“The removal of Parallel Import Restrictions will not only decimate the printing and publishing industries, but will severely retard Australian authors’ ability to get their work published.

“Imagine an Australia without books by Patrick White, Tim Winton or Kate Grenville. Imagine an Australia where the only places you can buy books are supermarkets or discount stores.

"Imagine an Australia where the only books they stock are written by Americans, written about Americans and written for Americans”.