Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak against the government's proposed National Reconstruction Fund Corporation Bill. First and foremost, I want to personally thank our nation's manufacturers, who helped to keep our country moving during the pandemic. I also want to mention the incredible value that manufacturing adds to our country, especially in my electorate of Capricornia. There are so many great manufacturing organisations around Central Queensland, and every single one of them makes a valued contribution to the local area, whether it's by fabricating aluminium at Barnes & Sons in Rocky or making award-winning liqueurs and condiments from Aussie grown sugar at the Sarina Sugar Shed. The sugar industry alone in 2020-21 generated more than $349 million in my electorate and employed more than 1,917 people. This success is in part due to the coalition's successful manufacturing strategy, creating the right environment for business development. It's growth like this I want to see continuing well into the future for my area.

The growth of our manufacturing industry and sovereign capability isn't something we should be advocating for. It's a necessity for the future of our nation. I find it hard to believe that anyone here would disagree with me on that. That is why it's disappointing to see the Albanese government focus its attention on anything but supporting our valuable manufacturing industry in the way that it deserves. We are almost 10 months into this government and, sadly, there has been no progress for manufacturing. In fact, the government has been more obstructive than helpful, playing politics with manufacturing grants awarded under the coalition and costing businesses valuable time and money. The $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund sounds great in theory, but as usual with this government, it's all style over substance, and I'd be surprised to see that money has gone out the door by the time the next election rolls around.

If you speak to any manufacturer across the nation, they will tell you that the biggest issue right now is electricity prices. Despite the claims from those opposite that the price of electricity would come down under Labor, prices have skyrocketed and are continuing to go up. I know that Labor can't be trusted with the economy or with knowing how to manage money, but the simple fact of the matter is that you can't just throw $15 billion at the manufacturing industry and not address the key issues, the economic issues that the industry relies on to thrive. The government would know that if it took the time to speak to anyone in the manufacturing sector. What's worse, the National Reconstruction Fund's poorly designed funding models shift from competitive grants with robust processes to the government equity and loans. Government equity and loans schemes are far less accessible than grants and provide more barriers for manufacturers, who will ultimately miss out. It's as if the government designed the National Reconstruction Fund with the intention of being purposely restrictive for manufacturers.

First announced in March 2021, the National Reconstruction Fund has been touted as a key priority for the government, but if you read the finer details, it's clear to see the real priority for Prime Minister Albanese is to give jobs to union mates and to create an election slush fund. This bill allows for inappropriate ministerial discretion, giving the minister to appoint the chair and board members at their own discretion, the only prerequisite being substantial experience in industrial relations. The integrity of the Minister for Industry and Science on appointments has already been called into question. As recently shown, he is willing to disregard the recommendations of his own department to appoint a self-declared socialist and union member to the robotics advisory board. This legislation would open the door to allowing this disgraceful behaviour to continue.

If, like me, you ask the manufacturing industry, they also don't have high hopes for this fund, and nor should they. Labor's record on manufacturing is woeful, and it's concerning to think how much damage those opposite can and will do to the industry. I won't sit idly by and watch that happen. I will be pushing to make sure that the voices of Capricornia and national manufacturers are heard and given the support they need.

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