Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Sterle for his question. I would like to actually talk about a budget measure—something the opposition, clearly, does not want to do. What we are experiencing in this country is the biggest resources boom in the history of the nation. It is good for Australia. However, many Australians are rightly asking how they can share in the benefits. After all, at the end of the day, mining accounts for less than two per cent of the total workforce. On the other hand, manufacturing employs a million Australians and has done so for 40 years, highlighting the incredible productivity of the manufacturing sector. We can come out of this boom with nothing to mine and nothing to make, or we can ensure that we are able to build the jobs, the skills and the opportunities right across all sectors of the economy, and that is why we are investing $34.4 million in the Buy Australian at Home and Abroad campaign. Australian manu­facturers do not need special favours. What they do need is a fair go, and we will work with the resources sector to identify opport­unities for Australian firms in major projects; we will work intensively with up to 180 promising Australian small- and medium-sized enterprises to build them into globally competitive suppliers; we will assist with more management training and advice about business opportunities through Enterprise Connect; and we will embed industry experts to procurement teams for major projects. It makes sense to buy Australian, and investors at home and abroad will know it. That is exactly what this government is seeking to do: to ensure that the opportunities are spread evenly. (Time expired)