Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Polley for that very insightful question and, of course, acknowledge her very longstanding support for Australian manufacturing, particularly in her home state of Tasmania. As we all unfortunately discovered during the pandemic, the goods that Australians assumed would be there when we needed them were not available. Across a range of products, our supermarkets and pharmacies couldn't get what we needed. Who can forget going to supermarkets, with the long lines of empty shelves and the sense of disappointment that we all felt when we couldn't get the products we needed? That was when the seed of the National Reconstruction Fund was planted. After a decade of neglect under the Liberals and the Nationals, it was time to re-invest in our manufacturing capability.

Now that the government is seeking to make the NRF, the National Reconstruction Fund, a reality, it's once again the Liberals and the Nationals that are standing in the way. The government plans are to grow from our strengths—places where we already have natural resources or the human capital to compete with the best in the world. The National Reconstruction Fund will attract investment, it will help grow the Australian economy, and, most importantly, it will deliver high-quality, high-paying jobs for Australian workers.