Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Kennedy for his question and for his patience, because I know he was ready to get the call yesterday during question time.

I can inform the member for Kennedy that the government has a range of policies which are in line with his long-term objective, which I know he's held very sincerely, about improving the capacity of the Australian economy to stand up and be more resilient. One of the lessons that we had during the pandemic was that we need to, put simply, make more things here. We need a future made in Australia. That's why the government's Buy Australian Plan is very important, using government procurement to make sure that at every possible opportunity we maximise the creation of Australian jobs, the support for Australian businesses and industry right here—whether it be in the agricultural sector, whether it be in manufacturing or whether it be in the purchase of goods and services that we support Australian industry.

The other thing that we have, of course, is our National Reconstruction Fund—a national reconstruction fund of $15 billion that will be about how existing industries adapt and about providing them with some support, in terms of capital, that might make new investment in the transformation of those industries far easier going forward.

But it's about more than that as well. It's about the creation of new industries. The fact is that we have everything, for example, that can go into a battery—not just batteries for the electric vehicles that will be required but batteries to ensure that renewables can go around a community, not just be isolated, and batteries that can assist manufacturing as well. That is why we have such enormous opportunities.

I know that in the member for Kennedy's electorate—I was at the Minerals Council dinner last night—some of the rare earths, as well as the traditional industries, like copper, which I know that the member for Kennedy is very passionate about, have enormously positive prospects going forward. Just as we were powered by minerals in the 20th century, and the 21st century, we now are in a situation whereby the natural advantages that we have in this country—if we get it right; if we're prepared to intervene at the right time to facilitate private sector investment in the agricultural sector for value adding and in manufacturing for value adding—can ensure that we have a future where Australian jobs are maximised, where Australian living standards are lifted and where the Australian economy continues to grow.

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