Karen Andrews (McPherson, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and Science) Share this | Hansard source

It gives me great pleasure to rise and speak to Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2014-2015 and related bills and to talk about the work the Abbott government is doing to help the people in my electorate of McPherson and all Australians. Every day we, the government, are working to build a stronger economy and a safer Australia. The Abbott coalition government is continuing to deliver growth, jobs and real opportunity for all Australians.

Today, I would like to speak about some of our recent achievements, including that the carbon tax is gone, saving the average household $550 a year. Our Direct Action Plan is making a practical difference to the environment without slugging Australians with a carbon tax. Major projects worth $1 trillion have been given environmental approval which will provide many of the jobs of tomorrow. We have delivered the biggest cut in electricity prices on record, which is good news for everyone looking to save money. The mining tax is gone, so this vital sector can create more jobs. Our $50 billion infrastructure program is underway. This includes major projects right around Australia to save you time and money. We are cutting red tape, with $2 billion in red tape savings already identified. We are driving trade with our neighbours by delivering free trade agreements with Japan, Korea and China. This means more exports, more jobs and lower prices for families, and we are working with Australian businesses to ensure we are taking advantage of these new opportunities. The NBN is being rolled out in a way which is fast, more affordable and less costly to taxpayers. There is a $200 million boost for more than 770,000 Australian part-pensioners and allowance recipients, with the lowering of the social security deeming rates. This has certainly been well received in my electorate of McPherson where we have a high number of retirees. We have put in place better scrutiny and reporting of foreign purchases of agricultural land. These are just a few of the many things that we have achieved.

As the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and Science, I would like to take this opportunity to speak about some of the great things happening in that portfolio. We have introduced the Industry, Innovation and Competitiveness Agenda. This has been the focus of the first full year of our government, and we have been very active in this area. Some of our achievements to date associated with this agenda include the rollout of Industry Growth Centres, with three chairs already being announced: Mr Andrew Stevens, Chair of the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre; Ms Elizabeth Lewis-Gray, Chair of the Mining Equipment, Technology and Services Growth Centre; and Mr Peter Schultz, Chair of the Food and Agribusiness Growth Centre. We are well on the way to reforming the vocational education and training sector, and this work is continuing in the education and training portfolio. I congratulate the Assistant Minister for Education and Training, Senator Simon Birmingham, for the work that he is doing in this area since his appointment as the assistant minister in December last year.

In schools we are promoting the stem subjects of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. We are implementing the Entrepreneurs' Infrastructure Program, worth $484 million, to support SMEs. In Tasmania, we have established the Tasmanian Innovation and Investment Fund in recognition of the unique challenges this state faces. We are now assessing more than 130 applications from across the Tasmanian economy, including in forestry, food, furniture and tourism. In Victoria, the Geelong Region Innovation and Investment Fund rounds 1 and 2 have now been completed and round 3 is to follow. Melbourne's North Innovation and Investment Fund round 1 has been completed. Australia's anti-dumping system has been reviewed and there is now legislation before the House that deals with a number of very important reforms.

I turn now to some of the important commitments the government is making in science. Science is vital to Australia's future, particularly given the strong impact of science on industry. Across government we are continuing to make a strong commitment to science and the critical role it plays in the economic growth of Australia. In 2014-15 we are spending $9.2 billion in science, research and innovation across all portfolios. Over the next four years this government will spend approximately $5.8 billion for science and research in the Industry portfolio. This includes $3 billion for CSIRO over the next four years. This will see year-on-year funding increases over the forward estimates.

We are also making new investments of $181.2 million to secure the operation of vital scientific activities and promote the benefits of science to Australians, including $65.7 million for CSIRO to operate and maintain the new research vessel, Investigator. There is $31.6 million over four years for ANSTO to operate the Open Pool Australian Lightwater reactor, OPAL, at full capacity. There is $25.9 million over four years for the permanent and safe disposal of used Australian nuclear fuel. There is $28 million in science for Australia's future, which includes National Science Week. There is $10 million to extend the Australia-China Science and Research Fund and there is $20 million to extend the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund.

Australia's ability to compete in global markets—in all sectors—depends on our ability to move up the value chain. Producing high-quality innovative or niche products and connecting science to industry is the cornerstone of our industry policy. The Australian government is continuing to support businesses to innovate and engage in research and development through the R&D tax incentive, which is expected to provide over $1 billion in tax offsets for eligible companies in 2014-15.

I turn now to a topic dear to my heart, STEM. As part of the government's Industry Innovation and Competitiveness Agenda, announced in October, we are delivering an extra $12 million to improve the focus on science, technology, engineering and maths—the STEM subjects—in primary and secondary education. I am privileged to have been given the responsibility, by the Minister for Industry and Science, to assist in the preparation and implementation of the whole-of-government response to the chief scientist's STEM strategy and recommendations. It is essential that we inspire young Australians to participate more actively in the STEM subjects and to develop strong STEM skills. We must continue to promote the value of STEM skills not just to the students of tomorrow but to all Australians. We need to promote the impact that STEM research has had on our quality of life as well as the impact STEM will have in the future. Those STEM skills are critical to future economic growth, sustainability and social wellbeing.

I will briefly touch on skills and training, having worked closely with Minister Macfarlane on this area before becoming the parliamentary secretary. It was pleasing to see the successful implementation of the trade-support loans, with legislation passing through both houses last year. Pleasingly, this was one of the first pieces of budget legislation that went through and is now delivering support for thousands of tradies around the country. With our VET reforms, started by Minister Macfarlane and continuing under Assistant Minister Birmingham, we are changing the focus of the system to be more outcome focused and industry led.

From 1 January this year we saw new training provider and national regulator standards introduced that have allowed for a crackdown on dodgy practices through new requirements around marketing and advertising policies. It was this government that provided new funding of more than $68 million, over four years, for the national regulator, ASQA, to focus on serious breaches of standards. From July this year we will see the new Australian Apprenticeship Support Network take off. This will provide a one-stop-shop for apprentices and their employers. It is currently out to tender. Very exciting for both industry and workers is the new $476 million Industry Skills Fund, which includes two new $44 million youth pilot programs. The Gold Coast will definitely benefit from this.

Turning to my electorate of McPherson, as a government we are spending more than $23.4 million in road infrastructure for the 2014-15 financial year. One of the major road projects to which the government has committed more than $111 million, over the life of the project, is the M1 Nerang to Robina widening, which will have a huge positive impact on both my electorate and the Gold Coast region. Across my electorate, our government is getting on with the job of tackling black spots on the roads. From Coolangatta to Cottesloe Drive at Robina we are making our roads safer through this vital road-funding project.

I am committed to working with other local members and all levels of government to further improve transport and road infrastructure for the Gold Coast. I have spoken in this place on many occasions about the transport issues that are facing Gold Coast residents and tourists. Effectively, the problem we have on the Gold Coast with regard to transport is that the Gold Coast is very different from every other major city—just about in the world, but particularly in Australia. Instead of having a central CBD, where all of the road and transport infrastructure emanates from, to the outer suburbs, the Gold Coast has evolved from a number of small villages that over time have developed and joined together. The Gold Coast is effectively a long coastal strip.

This gives us a number of significant issues with relation to transport infrastructure. We have three opportunities available to us on the Gold Coast and they serve somewhat different purposes. We have the M1, which is going through an upgrade process, interchange by interchange. It certainly would have been more advantageous if the former Queensland Labor government had not changed the priority from Tugun to Nerang to further north, closer to Brisbane. That way, we may well have—and should well have—had the M1 widened by now, all the way through to Tugun. But it is progressing.

Secondly, we have the heavy rail from Brisbane which currently terminates at Varsity Lakes. This is perhaps three stations away from the airport at Coolangatta. We also have the light rail, which at this stage has very limited capacity on the Gold Coast and terminates south at Broadbeach, which again is a long way from the airport at Coolangatta. We do know that tourists to the Gold Coast wish to stay within a kilometre of the beach, and so the light rail is ideally suited for our tourist visitors as well as our local residents.

Work clearly needs to be done on all three—the M1, heavy rail and light rail. The priority of people who speak to me is, at this stage, getting the light rail through to the airport. I would also say that we must continue at the fastest possible pace to upgrade the M1, which provides commuter access up through to Brisbane and is invaluable. What I would see as the third priority is getting the heavy rail down to the airport. We of course cannot ignore the fact that the Gold Coast is developing westwards. We need to have good transport links to the east and to the west to make sure that we are looking after the best interests of our residents on the Gold Coast.

As I indicated earlier, I have spoken in this place on many occasions about transport on the Gold Coast. It continues to be an issue, and it is an issue that I will continue to fight for, not only by talking here in Canberra to my colleagues but also by pushing the new state government in Queensland to make sure that the Gold Coast, and particularly the southern suburbs of the Gold Coast, is not ignored when it comes to transport infrastructure.

In conclusion, I say to the naysayers and those engaging in constant negativity, we as a government are getting on with the job of good government. We see very little by way of real positive policy alternatives coming from those sitting opposite. We are a government that is responsible, sensible and united—united in our commitment to clean up the mess left by those opposite and united in delivering a better future for all Australians.

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