Garth Hamilton (Groom, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Listening to the MPI today read out by the member for Chifley, I thought it was a classic case of playing the man and not the ball. There was plenty of advice for the minister for industry offered up but very little in the way of actual plans to drive manufacturing. It is very easy to understand because Labor have abandoned the field when it comes to manufacturing and they did so a long time ago. But this government is bringing Australian manufacturing back. We're rebuilding jobs and we are investing in growth in this industry.

The Toowoomba region has been a manufacturing hub for quite some time. We take advantage of the opportunities around us there. We take advantage of the agricultural industry around us, and Defence. When we had mining we were providing the manufacturing to support that as well as a strong transport industry. We're doing that with the support of this government going from strength to strength. Our region is manufacturing exports worth more than $1 billion. That is an impressive number and it is largely driven by our specialisation in food manufacturing. We have a lot of wonderful feedlots in our area. I went out to Grassdale recently, looking out over 79,000 head of cattle. Processors like Oaky Beef are great employers for local people coming through. Manufacturing brings export dollars in and provides great jobs to local people. There are more than 6,000 people employed in the manufacturing sector, 7.5 per cent of our region's workforce, and that number is continuing to grow. In fact, we have an urgent need now to support our manufacturing industry with upward of 50 boilermakers needed. A recent news story said: 'Come to Toowoomba. We have work here. Our manufacturing is growing and thriving. we need more people to come to Toowoomba and keep us growing.'

This government is encouraging innovation through programs like the $1.3 billion Manufacturing Modernisation Fund, which has seen an incredible take up, particularly in my region. It is something I talk to a lot of businesses about on a regular basis. The Accelerating Commercialisation program is another fantastic program that was taken up in my region by a group called Obadare. They have used this grant to turn themselves into Australia's only API licensed drill rig producer. Toowoomba has now become a hub not just for design and construction but for the commercialisation of these drill rigs that previously were only built overseas.

Toowoomba now competes against international producers of this machinery because this government invests in manufacturing. Obadare are now continuing to grow. It was fantastic to take Minister Angus Taylor out there to see the work that's going on in the workshop out there, walking through a full workshop where work was happening all around, welding sparks flying here and there. The activity that is generated by our support of this manufacturing industry is there to see. The evidence is right there in front of us.

This creates new job opportunities—so much so that operations manager Stephen Lucht has called out for interested workers, with several positions to fill, and he continues to grow and pull people in. If we're failing to prioritise Australian manufacturing jobs, why are so many being created? Why are the opportunities there? I think the evidence stands in stark contrast to today's MPI.

On top of this, the government's tax relief program and instant asset write-off incentives are bringing positivity to our manufacturing sector. I went out earlier this year to Homestyle Bake. There is an incredible new bread line that they're installing in their factory, again supported by this government. A local Toowoomba business that now provides bread across Queensland has grown and continues to bring in new workers. This is exactly the sort of growth that we would expect to see from such as well-orchestrated plan as this government has put together to ensure our economic recovery.

I went out to see an organisation called N-Drip. They're an Israeli micro-irrigation company who are looking to expand their operation to Australia, with the Toowoomba region set to become the manufacturing hub. We went out to a cotton crop. We looked at the amazing difference that was made by the new technology they brought to the sector. We were surrounded by farmers from all across the region and from quite a way out west, coming out to see what this new technology can do. The opportunities that manufacturing in Toowoomba will bring will ensure that this product can be produced and can be distributed locally at a good cost.

I think the evidence in front of us shows this government is supporting manufacturing and the manufacturing industry is responding.

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