Fiona Phillips (Gilmore, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

PS () (): My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. How is the Albanese Labor government supporting regional manufacturing and what risks are there to this approach?

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

CATHERINE KING (—) (): I very much thank the member for Gilmore for her question. She lives in regional Australia, just like me, and she knows what a great place it is to live and how important it is to actually stand up for regional manufacturing jobs.

This government is delivering on its priorities. We know how important the $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund is to our regions, because it will support regional manufacturing, it will transform Australia's industry and it will create secure, well-paid jobs in regional manufacturing across all of our communities. We know that it will drive the transformation of Australian industry and revive our ability to make world-class products here, particularly in our regional communities. We expect that the investments in priority areas, such as resources, agriculture—not much ag in our cities, I have to say—defence and renewables, will have a strong regional impact. Growth in these sectors we know will help regional areas diversify our economies but also help transform our workforces and provide opportunities for young people in our regions in the future. It will drive economic development in our regions, boost our sovereign capability, diversify the nation's economy and help secure jobs in our regions.

I'll tell you what other people are saying about this fund. Townsville Enterprise has endorsed the fund's design and said that it will provide an opportunity for those early-stage projects and emerging industries to gain access to funding and will encourage private investment in the region. Latrobe City Council provide their support for the fund.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Herbert is on a warning.

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It wants it to invest in projects that leverage the strength of the regions to provide secure, long-term meaningful jobs.

This fund will also support our rail manufacturing plan—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will pause. The member for Herbert is continuing interjecting. He will leave the chamber under 94(a).

The member for Herbert then left the chamber.

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Our rail manufacturing plan is a plan to build more trains here, to have more jobs in our regions, like Maryborough, and in Ballarat—in my own home town. We know that the fund will help transform that manufacturing, to build more rail jobs. Four thousand jobs are already in rail, and we've seen good Labor state governments invest in it, and this is what this fund will help to do.

The truth is, of those opposite, that, when it comes to regional Australia and regional jobs, they've buried their heads in the sand for the last decade and failed to support regional jobs. We know, on this side of the House, just how important regional manufacturing is for long-term jobs. I cannot believe that a regional member of this place would be voting against this fund.