John Madigan (Victoria, Democratic Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Evans. Minister, my question relates to the effectiveness of Australia's economic and industry policies to support our manufacturing industries. In light of reports in this week's Financial Review that the Australian manufacturing industry has shed 125,000 jobs over the last four years, the de-industrialisation of Australia we were previously warned about by US economist and strategist Edward Luttwak on ABC's Lateline on 7 September 2010 appears to be coming to pass. Can the minister advise of the specific manufacturing, trade and economic policies the federal government has adopted to protect ourselves from de-industrialisation, in line with Mr Luttwak's advice that we disenthrall ourselves of 19th century free trade theory that does not work?