Libby Coker (Corangamite, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We need young people to be engaged in decisions that affect their future, and the Raise Our Voice speechwriting campaign is just the catalyst young people need to do this. It has inspired so many young people in my electorate to raise issues that matter to them, like climate change, the creation of green spaces that nurture our wildlife, supporting local manufacturers, and infrastructure needs in a rapidly growing region like mine, in the seat of Corangamite. The speech by Lucas, a 12-year-old from Waurn Ponds, stood out. This is his speech:

My name is Lucas.

I'm 12 years old and I live in Waurn Ponds, Victoria.

In ten years from now I would like my community to look different.

I would like to see 70% of products in the shops be Australian made, this means there will be more jobs for people.

Increasing Australian made and grown products will:

Help to support farmers, which increases their income and helps them to make improvements on their farm;

Lead to better quality and fresher foods;

Reduce shipping and transport costs, which leads to less pollution and less use of petrol.

These changes aren't hard to make it could be done by supermarkets and shops buying more Australian products.

Thank you, Lucas. Your passion for Australian manufacturing reminds us of the responsibility we all have to be innovative, to build our skills base and to invest in a future made in Australia. To make this a reality, the Albanese government has invested $22.7 billion into making more things here, including in renewable energy technologies that will drive down Australia's emissions. And, Lucas, many of these technologies will be developed in your backyard.

Waurn Ponds is home to Deakin University and an amazing, innovative community that's punching well above its weight on the world stage. Our government has invested $50 million in Deakin to develop the Recycling and Clean Energy Commercialisation Hub, a hub that is supporting local business to develop new-generation battery technology, carbon fibre and new recycling technologies so that we have less waste in landfill and in our oceans.

We understand that a Future Made in Australia plays a huge role in supporting manufacturers and building our regional renaissance. Just recently I was joined by the Minister for Industry and Science to announce $1.7 million in funding for Li-S Energy to develop next-generation battery technologies. Then, in the weeks that followed, I joined the McLean family from GT Recycling to celebrate the now completed expansion of their facilities. The federal and state governments contributed joint funding of $3 million to make the expansion of the factory a reality. The upgrades will boost capacity to sort and process plastics from the industrial and agricultural sectors, with the installation of a second processing line at the facility to recycle 8,000 tonnes of plastics each year. These investments are all about driving our economy forward and, in the process, creating new and rewarding work.

Again, thank you, Lucas. Your speech reflects an understanding of the value of local manufacturing and the potential it holds for our country's future. It also recognises the need to keep our supermarkets honest and to make sure they look after all Australians, from the fruit grower to the dairy farmer to the consumer. The Albanese government understand this, and that's why we're introducing hefty penalties for supermarkets which deal in dodgy discounts.

In closing, I'd like to thank Lucas and the teachers at Freshwater Creek Steiner School for encouraging so many students to take part in this competition. I'd also like to thank every young person who made a submission. Picking a winner, can I say, was incredibly difficult. We had so many amazing submissions and so many fresh, awesome ideas from school students and locals as young as 12. I have no doubt that all of your ideas will continue to spark important conversations and influence future decisions. We share your vision for a resilient, self-sufficient Australia, and it's a vision we are proud to stand behind.