Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator McKenzie for her question, and I acknowledge the commitment that she has to rural and regional Australia—in fact, we all have it in the coalition government.

The $1.5 billion Modern Manufacturing Strategy, to be announced in tonight's budget, will deliver for regional businesses and communities. Around 30 per cent of Australia's manufacturing businesses are located in regional areas. In fact, Senator McKenzie, they employ close to 300,000 people. In regional towns throughout Australia, manufacturing businesses are often the largest employer. They source their inputs locally, which means they support other local businesses, including our primary producers. That is why our manufacturing strategy is so important for regional Australia. It is a key part of our JobMaker plan, and it will harness Australia's manufacturing capability to drive our economic recovery and, of course, our future resilience.

As we chart the road to recovery through COVID-19, the manufacturing strategy will create jobs that will last for the future—especially, Senator McKenzie, in regional Australia. The strategy itself recognises that we must play to our strengths. We have to target sectors that allow us to achieve scale and generate future growth. That's why we are focusing our efforts on six new national manufacturing priorities: resources, technology and critical mineral processing; food and beverage; medical products; recycling and clean energy; defence; and space. As Senator McKenzie would know, many of these sectors are firmly based in regional Australia. The manufacturing strategy will put in place incentives to grow these sectors and support more resilient regional economies.