Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education) Share this | Hansard source

Australia has a proud history of manufacturing but, under this close-to-a-decade-long Liberal government, we've seen a waning in support for manufacturing. In my home state of South Australia, Holden in Elizabeth and a range of other manufacturers have struggled without the support they need from government. Australian-made products go beyond just providing jobs for Australians; they provide a high-quality product. This quote is from one of those key manufacturing businesses in my electorate: 'Australian made goes beyond simply where the product was made. It's the fact that it's been made for you, for your lifestyle, for your passion; it's made to survive the unique landscapes and extreme conditions.' That's so true. When products are made in communities, they meet communities' needs.

If we've learnt anything from this pandemic—and I hope we've learnt a number of things—I think it has been that we have lost the ability to make many products here in Australia. This is very concerning. As we emerge from this pandemic, we need to make sure that we're supporting manufacturing and that we're ensuring that manufacturing has a good future in this country.

Of course, we do already, despite the Liberals' inaction, have companies that have worked hard and survived. I've got some wonderful manufacturing businesses in my electorate: Adelaide Profile Services, which cuts metal and steel in my electorate; Rowlands MetalWork, which does steel fabrication; Team Poly, which manufactures tanks—it's been so wonderful to see them expand; and REDARC, who make custom-made batteries. These are just some of the great manufacturing businesses in my electorate. However, they need their government to back them, and if we're going to see an expanding manufacturing sector we need government backing them.

I am pleased that Labor have already announced that, if we're elected, we will have a focus on 'made in Australia'. We will support and encourage businesses to be part of the government procurement process. We buy a lot of stuff as government. We build a lot of stuff as government. I hear from many very good small manufacturers that they don't know how to be part of that process. That's why I'm so pleased that Labor have said we will establish a Future Made in Australia office to support local industry in taking advantage of government purchasing opportunities. I'm also pleased that this will be backed up by laws that will lock in key elements of the Commonwealth Procurement Rules to actively support local industry to take advantage of government purchasing opportunities. We'll also support small and medium business by decoding and simplifying government procurement processes. This is going to be very critical.

But, of course, we need the skills to take up these jobs as we expand our manufacturing business, and it has been incredibly disappointing that under the Morrison-Joyce government there are 10,000 fewer places for apprentices and trainees in South Australia. This means fewer skilled job opportunities available for locals and less qualified employees. I am really pleased that Labor has already put out a number of important policies, including the Australian skills guarantee, which will ensure that one in 10 jobs on major federally funded infrastructure projects are given to apprentices, trainees or cadets.

We need to use the power of government—our procurement power, our building power—to actually support Australians. Whether that's Australian businesses, whether that's Australian jobs, we can do a lot better, and I'm really proud that, with the election of an Albanese Labor government, we will take steps to deliver this.

See this speech in context