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

Manufacturers are front and centre of our economic recovery, and the Morrison government is backing them all the way. Locally, I established an Advancing Manufacturing Taskforce to support manufacturers from St Marys to Emu Heights to listen to and address their concerns. In Western Sydney manufacturers have been telling me about the damage intellectual property theft has on their business. One told me how they've seen entire catalogues ripped off and counterfeits displayed overseas. Another told a shocking story of how a Chinese company had assumed this Western Sydney manufacturer's identity and, under this disguise, sold a counterfeit product back into our country to an Australian buyer. Only when the product failed—and this product was an important safety product—was it revealed that it wasn't the Australian company at all.

These Western Sydney manufacturers are not alone in their fight against IP theft. It's so important we protect their integrity against foreign competitors who don't play by the same rules, because, when we protect manufacturers, we protect local jobs. There is nothing I want more than for our local manufacturers in St Marys, Penrith, Emu Plains, Emu Heights and right across Lindsay to succeed. Backing Australian manufacturers, backing Aussie made, backing local jobs—that's exactly what the Morrison government is doing.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In accordance with standing order 43, the time for members' statements has concluded.