Fiona Martin (Reid, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to make some remarks regarding the Morrison government's plan to regain consumer confidence, create jobs and put our economy on a path to recovery. We're building momentum in our economy with a five-year plan that will shape Australia's growth over the next three decades.

This week, the Prime Minister outlined the details of the JobMaker program. Infrastructure development is a key part of that plan. The Australian government is cutting red tape under a bilateral government model to fast-track 15 major projects across the nation. They include the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail, the Marinus Link and the Olympic Dam expansion in South Australia, supporting around 66,000 jobs. We have committed $1.5 billion to these projects underway, and they will offer relief, particularly to our regional areas.

In my wonderful electorate of Reid, I welcome the news that $1.5 million of scoping works have begun for the $100 million infrastructure upgrade to Homebush Bay Drive. This jointly funded federal and New South Wales government project will not only see the start of an important infrastructure upgrade but also create an estimated 210 local jobs. In addition to this, the Morrison government has delivered more than $450,000 to six different road black spots in Reid to improve dangerous roads in suburbs like Lidcombe, Burwood and Concord. The federal government's Roads to Recovery Program delivers $500 million annually to our local councils, and this will be a huge help to our local area. I will keep working closely with our six local councils as they receive further federal funding for community infrastructure and road projects that will help create jobs in our area.

Many constituents have recently contacted me to express their renewed support of Australia's growing manufacturing sector. As global supply chains were crippled by the coronavirus, Australians innovated and retooled in order to produce the essential items we needed, including personal protective equipment and hand sanitiser. The Australian chemistry industry, which is the third-largest industry in the country, has also expanded domestic manufacturing to keep up with the demand during shortages in our global supply chains. This is not a new issue. Many Australians care deeply about our domestic manufacturing sector, including those who live in my electorate of Reid. The coronavirus pandemic has shown us some gaps in our manufacturing capability and in our supply chains, particularly around medical supplies and equipment. As we move forward in our plan for recovery, our government are more conscious than ever of the need to support the growth of this sector.

The Morrison government had been working with the manufacturing sector before the pandemic. Earlier this year we launched a new advertising campaign to promote Australian-made products, reminding Australian consumers of the value of buying home-grown and domestically made products. This ad campaign follows the government's $5 million investment earlier this year to expand the reach of the Australian-made logo. The merits of buying local, Australian-made products has been advocated for in federal parliament since federation. When we buy Aussie made, we are supporting our farmers and our manufacturers as well as the supply chains that use the market and deliver their products.

In my electorate of Reid, manufacturers have often said competing with overseas companies is the biggest barrier to domestic production, not being able to match their lower manufacturing cost. However, Australians have a renewed appetite for Aussie products. People want to support our local economy and will pay for quality products in order to do so. And we know that our quality products will also be well regarded on international markets too. Our government's investment in Australian-made products is more timely than ever as we look to ways to create jobs and strengthen our economy following the financial impacts of the pandemic. The Morrison government's Manufacturing Modernisation Fund is supporting around 200 projects around Australia with a federal investment of $48.3 million. We expect a further 2,600 jobs in the sector will come out of this initiative alone.

Manufacturing today is so much more than production in the traditional factory setting. It includes research and design, it encompasses after-sale service, it has a broad reach through supply chains and it offers so many opportunities for innovation and job growth. Many well-known manufacturers are located right on the doorstep in Reid. In fact, our suburb of Silverwater is considered the heart of Sydney's manufacturing district. I'd like to acknowledge several outstanding manufacturers in Reid who have received $20,000 through the Morrison government's Business Growth Grants earlier this year—funding which will help expand their capabilities. The grant recipients included manufacturers like Decor Systems in Silverwater, and I had the pleasure of visiting Decor Systems last year; Memphasys, experts in biological separations, located in Homebush West; and Acme Case Co, which is Sydney's oldest packaging designer, and they have been operating since 1913. I would also like to congratulate Disc Brakes Australia, based in Silverwater, who received over $111,000 from the Morrison government's Automotive Innovation Lab Access Grants for the development of the world-first cool drive rotor. It's exciting to support innovation in Australia's automotive product development, and even more exciting that it's happening in my electorate of Reid.

Manufacturing is the seventh-largest employing industry in Australia. More than that, it is the sector that invests in home-grown innovation. It is the sector that opens the door to opportunities for our country. Right now, our Aussie manufacturers hold the key to our economic recovery and growth. They will put momentum behind the government's plan to restore confidence in our economy. Strengthening our domestic manufacturing sector is by no means an attempt to nationalise our industries or pander to protectionism. When we support local production, we produce quality products that will be of value in international markets. It puts Australians squarely on the world stage.

In order to support our economic growth, our government has turned its attention to supporting our small and medium-sized businesses through the unique pressures of the pandemic. The JobKeeper program has been a huge help in keeping businesses open and employers connected to employees throughout this very difficult period. An estimated 8,800 organisations in Reid have benefited from the JobKeeper payment. They are businesses like Watergrill Restaurant in Abbotsford and Sass Hair and Body in Concord. Both businesses were able to keep staff on through the COVID period, through JobKeeper. As restrictions have eased, their businesses have seen people coming back in through the doors.

We have also announced the extension of the $150,000 instant asset write-off for six months until 31 December this year. By investing in assets, businesses can continue to expand and modernise. It is expected that these measures will support over 3.5 million businesses across Australia. Another business in Reid that has benefited from the support of the Morrison government is Proline Building Commercial in Mortlake. They're just one of many other businesses in our area receiving a cash flow boost through the Australian Taxation Office in order to retain employees.

What is remarkable is the ingenuity and flexibility of many businesses in our area who adapted while under social distancing restrictions. Many restaurants pivoted to takeaway during this period and have elected to continue to offer these services because of their success. For example, Cucina Expresso in Concord were preparing home cooked meals for busy families which could be bought, taken home and heated up. Even though now they have reopened under the new social distancing guidelines, the meals have been so popular that they have remained on the menu.

In recent weeks, I have had the opportunity to visit many businesses in Burwood, Strathfield and Concord, and I look forward to visiting many more businesses in Reid on my return. Many of the business owners I have spoken to are very, very grateful for the government's economic packages. We must also be realistic about the challenges that they will have in the months ahead. We continue to restore consumer confidence for our economy to recover. Our businesses are prepared to operate in COVID-safe ways to ensure that they plan and can meet the unique health and safety risks.