Keith Pitt (Hinkler, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

They are a fabulous product that they export to Asia, the United States of America and the EU, and they have been doing this for over 10 years. Urangan Fisheries are supported by seven prawn and scallop-catching vessels owned by Hervey Bay based sister company, Shulz Fisheries. A well known local, Nick Shulz has been in the region all of his life—a great operator. And, of course, you cannot go past the Australian Ocean King Prawn Company, another family business, supplying premium quality seafood out of Hervey Bay for local and export markets for over 25 years. They have a fleet of six trawlers—modern, EU-accredited steel vessels, equipped with state-of-the-art refrigeration systems. They land a combined total of 300 to 400 tonnes of prawns all year for the export market. It is a fabulous product and it is great that it is in my electorate.

Minister, I note that these businesses cover much of the five areas identified as areas of competitive strength which are the focus of the Australian government's Industry Growth Centres. As the local representative of a region that has firsthand experience of the opportunities created by investment and innovation in these key sectors, I am particularly excited on behalf of my electorate to follow the progress as the Australian government implements these growth centres. Under the Industry Growth Centres Initiative in the 2015-16 budget, I understand that the Department of Industry and Science funded some $225 million to deliver this exciting new initiative. I also note that this is an increase—an increase!—on the initial announcement from October 2014 of $188.5 million for this initiative.

We look forward to grasping every opportunity to strengthen our local economy in my electorate of Hinkler, particularly in these areas of competitive strength. Can you please provide the chamber with an update on the initiative and tell us how the Industry Growth Centres are going to put science at the centre of industry policy and help companies like those in my electorate—like Bundaberg Brewed Drinks, Knauf Australia and Bundaberg Walker Engineering Ltd—to drive the growth and jobs of the future, not only in my electorate but across Australia?

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