Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for that question. It goes to the heart of this government's commitment to make sure that we have long-term opportunities for Australian businesses to continue to build their business both here and abroad. Certainly it is the case, as the member reflects, that the major resources projects do offer significant opportunities for Australian suppliers, but it is also the case that some are missing out. The budget commitment, which I think is an extremely important one, of some $34.4 million over the next four years will ensure that these Australian suppliers directly benefit from the growth we are seeing in the resources sector, particularly by more effectively linking the suppliers with the project opportunities that are out there and enhancing industry capabilities as well.

The fact is that the viability of Australian manufacturing depends not only on its ability to integrate into global supply chains but also on its ability to improve productivity and to innovate. That is at the heart of the challenge for our manufacturing, so facilitating access to supply chains and enhancing industry capability is extremely important for this government.

I am very pleased to inform the member that the government will invest $27.6 million over four years for Supplier Advocates and Enterprise Connect to enable them to work with Australian firms, identify opportunities and secure those opportunities. I have had some experience with Enterprise Connect already. I think it is one of the most outstanding and visionary initiatives of this government, and it is one that I know industry itself has been particularly pleased to see delivered.

The new Supplier Advocates will be deployed in the resources sector. That is where we are seeing such an increased tempo of economic activity now. They will be able to identify and lead practical industry development projects like supply chain improvement programs, risk management training and the like. It is intended that they be respected industry representatives and that they will provide leadership to address some of the issues and some of the barriers that we know are out there and are faced by industry. It is important to recognise that the Australian Made Campaign Ltd supply chain advisor will also be appointed. This is an opportunity to provide linkages and collaboration between Australian companies and Australian Made Campaign Ltd itself.

I take this opportunity to draw to the attention of the House that a Resources Sector Supplier Advisory Forum will also enable the bringing together of major resource companies, Australian suppliers and, importantly, unions to make sure that they identify the opportunities and the potential barriers to Australian industry participation in major resources projects. The key thing here is to have a thorough, comprehensive, targeted and focused effort to ensure that Australian businesses can take up the opportunities that are presented by the significant resources boom we are seeing take place right around the country, particularly in states such as Western Australia and in the Northern Territory. I conclude by saying that I think the minister has taken absolutely the right steps in recognising the challenges that Australian manufacturing and industry face, identifying that there are significant opportunities, given the increasing activity in the minerals sector, and enabling people to work cooperatively together to deliver those kinds of solutions to make sure that Australian manufacturing can continue to prosper.

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