Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Jobs and Innovation) Share this | Hansard source

We've entered a period of unparalleled rapid economic growth. Science is going to drive business growth. It's going to drive more investment and, of course, more job opportunities. It's estimated that, by 2030, Australian workers will spend 77 per cent more time using science and mathematics skills, so we're ensuring as a government that Australians, but in particular women and girls, will be equipped with these skills to gain more and better-paid jobs, and our science initiatives are already supporting Australian jobs.

One of my first announcements was a $60 million investment in our Great Barrier Reef. We are doing this to ensure the preservation of the reef because this will secure the 64,000 jobs that are relied on by the reef but also the $6.4 billion that the reef brings to our economy. We've also helped launch TAIPAN, a purpose-built instrument for the UK Schmidt Telescope—again, a $6.4 million investment in research infrastructure. (Time expired)