Simon Crean (Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Trade and Regional Development) Share this | Hansard source

It is quite good, is it, Minister, to half meet a target in what is arguably the longest resource boom in Australia’s history and some 14 years of economic prosperity? The government has failed dismally in terms of the exporters of this nation. One of the points I am trying to make is that part of the reason we are not doubling but only meeting half of the target is that we are halving the funds going to the Export Market Development Grants Scheme. Exporting is about a partnership, and this government does not understand or accept its obligation in relation to that partnership. I ask the minister: why has the government failed so dismally in meeting its target?

In the recent Budget Paper No. 2, page 287 shows that the Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources is getting $122 million over five years to facilitate Australian SMEs to participate in global supply trains. Why was Austrade, with all of its expertise, excluded from this program? Why has the government not sought to re-establish a business input into the activities of Austrade, having abolished the industry board that used to advise Austrade? I talked before about partnerships—partnerships with government and with business. If we are to support our exporters, they need resources and input. They need to give direction to the way the department and the agency, which are there to service them, oversee functions. I am disappointed again that the minister responsible is not here to directly answer these questions but I ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs to take them on notice and ensure that we are supplied with the appropriate answers.

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