Melissa McIntosh (Lindsay, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Students excelling, industries emerging and jobs created in my electorate of Lindsay have been the overwhelming themes since we were last in this place. Over the last few weeks, people in Lindsay have demonstrated how the Morrison government is backing them, and backing science, technology, engineering and maths. STEM has been at the forefront of two recent local achievements. Preparing our students today for the jobs of the future ensures we have local people in these jobs, building our local economy and avoiding that long commute out of Western Sydney for a good job.

The five students who were part of Team Ascension from Penrith Christian School are putting their skills in STEM to use in the largest STEM competition in the world. Over the last few days, these students competed in Abu Dhabi in the world finals of F1 in Schools, designing software to collaborate, analyse, manufacture and race their miniature F1 cars. I am delighted to inform the House that, out of the 55 teams from around the world, the students from Penrith Christian School won the Best Engineered Car award. I congratulate them for their outstanding achievement.

Investing in STEM in schools is a vital part of ensuring our local students are prepared for the jobs of the future in emerging industries in Western Sydney, including defence, engineering, advanced manufacturing, the space industry and more. Last week, the Minister for Defence Industry and I announced $95 million for Defence Establishment Orchard Hills's new Naval Guided Weapons Maintenance Facilities Project. This new facility will enhance maintenance components for Navy's guided weapons systems for new ships, air warfare destroyers, frigates and future submarines, directly supporting Australian Defence Force personnel and contributing to Australia's security.

The Morrison government is unlocking opportunities for our local community at the forefront of defence technology and advanced manufacturing. We are backing our national defence industry to create local jobs that keep us safe. This is just one area of emerging industry that will be ready for the current generation of local school students. The $95 million investment in in the Naval Guided Weapons Maintenance Facility is creating 50 jobs, with 95 per cent of the subcontracted work going to locals.

We must continue to equip our young people with the skills in STEM to take on emerging challenges and to ensure Australia's safety and security, and with the opportunities to build a strong economy. The Morrison government recognises the potential of Western Sydney to play a key role in the technologies and industries that will shape our future economy. The Western Sydney international airport, the Sydney Science Park and the Aerotropolis precinct will support emerging industries and advanced manufacturing research in science and space. I have created the Lindsay Jobs of the Future Forum so that we can connect students to these exciting local opportunities in STEM and ensure that they have the education and training needed to take on those jobs. The forum will make sure that students in Lindsay are aware that a career in STEM can take them anywhere around the world, and of the positive impact they can have in their own community.

I am so proud of the work that is being done in STEM in Western Sydney. Every time I meet students, whether it is here in Parliament House or back home in my community, I ask them: 'Who is interested in STEM? Who understands what STEM is?' Today, I may get a third of those in the room putting up their hands. With my Lindsay Jobs of the Future Forum and the work that we're doing by bringing industries and schools together to make sure that children are educated and trained for the future, I want to make sure that all children are putting up their hands and saying that they're interested and have an understanding of STEM, and know what the jobs in the future are that they could get with these skills.

I'm very proud of Team Ascension for taking their talents to Abu Dhabi for the world's biggest STEM competition and I'm very pleased that the Morrison government is investing in the Naval Guided Weapons Maintenance Facility in Orchard Hills. Only the Morrison government will continue to back Western Sydney, investing in our local students so that they can take on the jobs of the future.