Tracey Roberts (Pearce, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak in proud support of the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation Bill 2022, a significant and important commitment made by the Albanese Labor government and a clear commitment to help the growth of industries in Australia.

The National Reconstruction Fund will be independent, and will work in the national interest. It will help rebuild our industries and capture strong opportunities for Australia. It is important to the nation's economy that we be a country that manufactures things again. The National Reconstruction Fund will absolutely help to achieve this. The Albanese Labor government has a plan, and part of that plan involves reviving Australian industry so that our industries can be a global leader in high-value manufacturing rather than sending things overseas, as the opposition has done in the past. The National Reconstruction Fund is about investment. It will be one of the biggest investments in Australian manufacturing capacity, and our manufacturing capacity is crucial to our nation's economy. This bill is about jobs and more jobs, and to keep those local is especially important in my electorate of Pearce in Western Australia, because it will provide opportunities for much-needed local jobs and help manufacturing businesses grow and prosper, and to become world leaders through innovation.

In Pearce, there are two industrial areas that help support and boost the state of Western Australia's economy and the nation's economy. One is the Wangara Industrial Area and the other is the newer Neerabup Industrial Area, which has so much potential. These two areas are the foundation of thousands of local jobs in the electorate of Pearce. Nine per cent of people in Pearce work in the manufacturing sector, compared to 6½ per cent across the state of Western Australia. The number of manufacturing businesses in my electorate is rising and, at last count, in 2022, were 762, up by 42 from the previous year. Manufacturing is the most productive industry within my electorate, generating $18,017 million in 2020-2021. Just imagine the potential to continue that growth, particularly in Neerabup. This site is primed to provide long-term economic growth opportunities, which will be achieved through the creation of local jobs for people in what is one of the largest and fastest-growing areas in Australia.

Let me share some detail in relation to Neerabup with you. The area provides manufacturing opportunities, economic growth opportunities and local employment opportunities. It is a parcel of approximately 1,000 hectares of land in the north-west metropolitan area of Perth. In coming years, the Neerabup industrial area is expected to become a large employment node in the electorate of Pearce, with connections to major freight links. The area is in the early stages of industrial growth, and is projected to be home to 20,000 jobs in the not-too-distant future. The development of this area is a strategic priority for the region and the electorate of Pearce.

Recognising the absolute importance of this industrial area, the Albanese Labor government committed $15 million in infrastructure funding to bolster it. This industrial area is just a few kilometres from transport links, which are vital for supporting businesses to deliver their goods when and where they are needed. It will benefit greatly from the Albanese government's $15 million investment in creating the dual carriageway on the local road, which is on Flynn Drive. This investment will mean significantly better access to and from the Neerabup industrial area by ensuring completion of the dual carriageway for the entire length of Flynn Drive.

I have been a strong advocate for funding and government support for projects, including this one, in the years prior to my election as the member for Pearce, in my previous role as the mayor of the City of Wanneroo, so I am very pleased that the Albanese Labor government is delivering this election commitment to the electorate. Appropriate investment in infrastructure is a key driver to attract businesses to industrial areas, so this project will be important for generating local job growth in my community. We have a large and fast-growing youth population. There are 56 local schools in the electorate, and I know how hard those schools work. I know the need for apprenticeships. I know the need for traineeships. I know the need for future growth in employment opportunities. I sit on eight of those school boards and I see, time after time, students trying to source opportunities for work experience, because there's not a great deal of opportunity in the local area. They have to travel far and wide for work experience, let alone for the opportunities for traineeships and apprenticeships. In this area, local employment opportunities will be very important.

The area is also planned to be the home of the Australian Automation and Robotics Precinct, which has a 51-hectare site and is set to generate up to 5,000 ongoing jobs in the growing fields of robotics, remote operations and automation, which used to be something futuristic, but now are something of the norm. These are all areas of innovation and are jobs of the future—and they are something that our youth are incredibly interested in. It will be used for testing, research and development, and training in autonomy and robotics. This precinct will deliver a long-term strategic employment cluster, and it's very exciting. It's one that will provide quality employment opportunities and attract talent from all over the world. The strategy of the Australian Automation and Robotics Precinct is to create and manage access to a globally linked and locally relevant test facility. This will include design co-labs, test laboratories and virtual laboratories. Precinct users and researchers will have the opportunity to accelerate technology and analytics testing and scaling.

As we elevate our national economic, environmental and social wellbeing, build our strategic industry capability and drive economic growth, we need to partner with industry and researchers. That is what the National Reconstruction Fund will do. It will be independently run, and its decisions will be made in the national interest. Investment will focus on seven priorities: renewables and low-emissions technologies; medical science; transport; value-adding in fisheries, forestry and agriculture; value-adding in the resources sector; defence capabilities; and technologies that support jobs in manufacturing.

The National Reconstruction Fund is a key commitment of the Albanese Labor government and will consult with industry to reveal market gaps and investment opportunities. The priority areas reflect current and emerging industry strengths that will help strengthen our capacity to respond to domestic challenges and also global opportunities. It is a significant step in rebuilding Australia's industrial capability and economy, so why would those opposite want to oppose it? It's because they don't have a plan, other than to be contrary and say no. They're the 'noalition', who left Australia with a trillion dollars of Liberal debt. On the other hand, we in the Albanese Labor government have a robust plan, and the National Reconstruction Fund is another step in creating secure, well-paying jobs for Australians.

Australia can be a country that manufactures things again, and we should. The pandemic emphasised the importance of having an advanced and agile manufacturing capability in order to be able to pivot to produce critical products to meet our nation's needs, especially at times when we need them the most. The National Reconstruction Fund will oversee one of the largest investments in our country's history—$15 billion. This will be invested in independently assessed projects that will diversify, support and transform Australia's industry and economy.

So, I repeat, why do those opposite say no to this vital investment in Australia's economy? Because they don't have a plan. Australian industry needs a government that recognises their contribution. Our future generations and babies that are being born deserve opportunity. Our communities want to know their government is supportive and loud about it, and is also backing that support with robust actions. We all know that actions speak louder than words. They want to know that their government is helping make the most of global opportunities.

It is time to stop the good ideas heading overseas due to lack of supportive capital. The Albanese Labor government knows the National Reconstruction Fund will help retain businesses and talent here on our shores, and to grow our economy and our nation. It will also help Australian industry capture new high-level market opportunities. The National Reconstruction Fund will help research and innovations move on the path towards commercialisation. The fund will help bolster national resilience and support well-paid, sustainable jobs of the future. Why would anybody say no to that?

The National Reconstruction Fund is about helping built and transform our industry capabilities in a strategic manner. That includes manufacturing. It is also about strengthening the nation's ability to harness technologies so that we can futureproof our prosperity and national wellbeing. The fund will allow the support of investment in medical manufacturing for things like vaccines and medical devices. Australia was once a leader in solar technology, and the independent National Reconstruction Fund will enable investment in solar and wind technologies, as well as the development of batteries to store renewable energy. This will be a win for our environment, which the Albanese Labor government values. The fund can accelerate our nation becoming a renewables super power. I have already talked about robotics and automation in Neerabup and the National Reconstruction Fund will build on our expertise in quantum technologies, robotics and artificial intelligence. We will partner with state and territory governments and industry to seek out investment opportunities within priority areas.

It is important to remind those opposite that the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation will be fiercely independent—an independent board making independent investment decisions is crucial to success. It will also be independent of political influence, the way it should be. There will be no sports rorts and colour-coded spreadsheets like we saw under the previous government. The Australian taxpayer expects—as they should—their tax dollars to be treated properly and respectfully, to be spent in the national interest rather than to suit political interests. Under the Albanese Labor government, that's what taxpayers will get with the National Reconstruction Fund.

Along with the Buy Australian Plan and Future Made in Australia Office, the National Reconstruction Fund ties in with the Albanese Labor government's plan for Australia to be strong and self-sufficient, and to have a renewed basis to sell to the world. I urge those opposite to walk with us and support the bill instead of making terrible decisions that do not support Australians or the future of Australia. I commend the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation Bill to the House.

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