Celia Hammond (Curtin, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes the longevity of the 'Australian Made, Australian Grown' logo since its creation more than 30 years ago as Australia's most trusted, recognised and widely used country of origin symbol to promote authentic Australian brands all around the world;

(2) commends the Government for providing the Australian Made Campaign Ltd, the not-for-profit public company which administers the logo, with $5 million to promote the logo in key export markets as well as establishing trademark registration in the United Kingdom, the European Union and Canada;

(3) further commends the Government for its $5 million investment in the 'Go Local First' campaign, which is run by the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia and is encouraging all Australians to promote and support our local small and family businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic; and

(4) encourages all Australians to recognise the importance of local industry, manufacturers, producers, and businesses to our economy, and the quality of Australian made products and Australian grown produce.

Research conducted in July this year by Roy Morgan showed that 92 per cent of Australians trust the Australian Made logo, 99 per cent of Australians recognise the logo and the logo is used by more than 3,000 companies on thousands of products sold in Australia and around the world.

For 34 years now, the iconic gold-and-green Australian Made kangaroo logo has grown in influence, stature and respect. It is now well and truly etched in our national psyche. Indeed, so loved is this Australian Made logo that, when news reports earlier this year incorrectly reported that it was being replaced, my office was bombarded with calls and emails from constituents preparing their pitchforks! I don't blame them. We are just as proud and protective of the products this logo sits on as we are of the logo itself, and I'm happy to reiterate that the logo is here to stay.

The logo was first introduced by Prime Minister Hawke in 1986, but the promotion of Australian products dates way back before that. In 1961, Sir Robert Menzies launched what colloquially become known as Operation Boomerang. In one of his speeches, Prime Minister Menzies said:

I'm no pessimist about today. I'm the most glorious optimist about tomorrow.

He said:

For if there is one thing about which we can all agree it is, with our characteristic modesty, that whatever any other country does, we can do better.

He further stated:

… it is of the first order of national importance that manufacturing in Australia should become international in its product so that it sells to the rest of the world …

This year, 2020, has been an incredibly challenging year for many, and yet, even in the moments of uncertainty and fear, we have seen the optimism Menzies referred to on display all around Australia. We've seen the strength and ingenuity of our manufacturers, small businesses and primary producers as they responded swiftly to support Australians. Once again we have seen what 'Australian Made, Australian Grown' means—businesses like the Wine Thief in Wembley, in my electorate, who make their own Rottnest Island Gin; or Advanced Technology & Manufacturing in Osborne Park, who for over 25 years have been manufacturing printed circuit boards for projects around Australia.

Just as Menzies and Hawke recognised that the future prosperity of Australian manufacturing and produce depended on increasing exports opportunities, the Morrison government understands that the Buy Australia message and logo is not simply a call to protectionist notions but, most importantly, a message to the world about the quality of the things that we make here. That's why, earlier this year, the government provided a $5 million grant to the Australian Made Campaign Ltd to increase and extend the impact of the Australian Made logo into new markets and to allow the trademark to be registered in the EU, the UK and Canada. I would encourage all Australian businesses, manufacturers and producers to look into registration with the Australian Made campaign and get the many benefits that go with being an authorised user of the 'Australian Made, Australian Grown' logo.

Alongside the longstanding 'Australian Made, Australian Grown' campaign, this year the government also launched the GO LOCAL FIRST campaign to remind us all of the vitality and the importance of small and family businesses to our economy and to our local communities. This campaign, funded by the government with a $5 million grant, is being run by the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia and is helping to highlight the stories of the 3.5 million Australian businesses, encouraging us all to back our local businesses first.

In Curtin there are close to 25,000 small and family businesses, and this year I've been amazed by their resilience. Earlier this year, when many of them had to close or change their operations drastically, they were blunt about the difficulties facing them, but they also adapted and reminded everyone in Curtin of just how central they are to our community. During restrictions, especially when older people were self-isolating, great businesses like the Cambridge Corner Store and the Village Pantry offered support with free deliveries. Our local IGAs did the same, and helped work with my office to get deliveries to constituents. These great businesses in Curtin—we see their names on the backs of community sporting teams' jumpers—are the people who employ young people in our community. Whoever they are, wherever they are, we know how important they are. So everybody: 'Go Local First', buy Australian made and continue to be optimistic about tomorrow.

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