Dan Repacholi (Hunter, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Manufacturing is one of the pillars that have made this country what it is. Australia has a proud record of building things and building things well and building things to last. But, unfortunately, in this place, there are two types of people: those who support manufacturing and want to help it thrive and those who are responsible for major parts of the manufacturing industry shutting up shop and being shipped overseas, like the car industry. We once had the ability to make world-class products in Australia. It saddens me to know that this is, unfortunately, not so much the case anymore. That is why this government is committed to driving the transformation of the Australian industry and reviving this sector.

We have skilled workers in this country. We will have even more when this government brings TAFE back to the glory days it once had. We need to create high-value jobs across the economy and help keep skilled Australians onshore. This is a fast-moving world, and we as a country will be left behind if we don't make manufacturing one of our strong points again. This government doesn't leave anyone behind. We want to build a stronger and more resilient future. This cannot be done without delivering secure, well-paid jobs and without skilling up for the technologies of the future. Unlike those opposite who like to play dress-ups, we're taking action to deliver on our commitments to this sector.

We have committed $111.3 million through targeted grants to stimulate regional manufacturing in electorates like my own in the Hunter. I know that there are many in my electorate who have the best hands-on skills in the world. They just need an opportunity to apply these skills. I doubt those opposite can relate to this, because they probably couldn't even put together a barbecue from Bunnings.

Close to my home in the Hunter, this government is committing $17.2 million to establish a pilot food manufacturing innovation hub on the Central Coast of New South Wales. This investment will encourage employment and economic growth by supporting the food product manufacturing sector in the region. I have no doubt at all that we will feel the benefits of this in the Hunter as well. Not only will this create jobs; it will also encourage education, skills, research, development and tourism. We are a diverse country, and this only brings benefits. This diversity gives us even more chances to thrive in manufacturing and, more broadly, STEM as a whole. But in order to reap the rewards of diversity in this sector, this country needs a government that wants to see Australians from all walks of life engage in the sector.

This government is making the most of diversity in this country and has invested $5.8 million in the October budget to support a more diverse STEM workforce. Australians from all walks of life will benefit. By widening our talent pipeline, we will only increase our share in the global economy and help address the skills shortages we are currently facing.

Marketing is an important part of who I am. Before coming into this place I managed workshops that manufactured equipment for the agriculture and mining sectors. In my time managing this business I grew the business from just a dozen employees to over 70 in four years. Now I'm excited to be part of a government who is going to grow manufacturing Australia-wide and create skilled jobs for Australians in electorates such as mine in the Hunter.

I wish this passion and focus was shared in this place. But, while those opposite like to throw on a hi-vis and look like a manufacturing worker just for a photo op, the only things they really know how to manufacture are skewed marketing slogans and their own flawed visions of reality. The fact is that we are the only party who cares about manufacturing in Australia. Not only do we care about manufacturing, we care about the workers as well. We care about the workers. That's what we do. That's what the Labor party does, and that's the only party that will do this.

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