Tania Lawrence (Hasluck, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Industry and Science. How will the National Reconstruction Fund support the growth of industries to help Australia move towards a net-zero future and to create jobs? Are there any threats to creating these new jobs?

Ed Husic (Chifley, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

HUSIC (—) (): I thank the Labor member for Hasluck. Oh, that sounds good! 'The Labor member for Tangney'—that sound good. 'The Labor member for Pearce'—that sounds good. The Labor member for Swan—

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

The minister will return to the question.

Ed Husic (Chifley, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They're all very, very good. Do you know why I mention it? Because it represents this: 10 years wasted by those opposite and 10 years where they picked fights. That was the biggest lot of work that they did—just pick fights and not get on with the job! They didn't focus on the types of things that the member for Hasluck just raised about new industries, getting new things done and looking at the way in which we can create jobs—particularly in different parts of the country and in our regions as well. It's also looking at the ways to satisfy industry needs for new generation of energy and being able to do it in a way that cuts emissions and increases jobs. To be able to do that is very important.

The National Reconstruction Fund, as much as it is about increasing manufacturing capability, is about satisfying the need to generate new energy, to create jobs and to do it with lower emissions in the process. The types of things that the $3 billion investment—particularly the $3 billion subfund which was factored into our targets for reducing emissions—will support us to do is create the jobs that we need to deliver a clean energy future. Think about things like building components for wind turbines; making batteries and solar panels; investing in new types of livestock feed to reduce methane emissions; modernising the production of steel and aluminium; building hydrogen electrolysers; and finding innovative packaging solutions to reduce waste. All these are very important investments and mean jobs, jobs, jobs out of the National Reconstruction Fund. And research tells us that 75 per cent of new energy jobs could be created in regional Australia by 2035—huge!

The biggest threat we've got happens in the coalition party room, which I'm genuinely concerned is a mass-hypnosis event. They bring in the RSL entertainment and the person says, 'When I click my fingers, you'll forget 10 years'—

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order! The minister will pause and resume his seat for a moment. Order—members on my right and left!

The member for New England can resume his seat, I will deal with this matter. To assist the House, Minister, I might just get you to rephrase that language.

Ed Husic (Chifley, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Anyway, they have the mass hypnosis event, and they click their fingers to get 10 years—

Opposition members interjecting—

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

No, Minister! Resume your seat. I must ask you to rephrase that and withdraw what you said, just to assist the House to move forward.

Ed Husic (Chifley, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Sure, I withdraw. But they have forgotten 10 years. They say no to everything and they want to make sure that they just continue to say no, no, no, no!

Opposition members interj ecting—

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

Members on my left! There is far too much noise.

Opposition members interjecting—

Members on my left will cease interjecting immediately! When the House comes to order I will hear from the Deputy Leader of the Opposition.