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

Well, I'd have to disagree with you there slightly, Senator Polley, because it wasn't just Liberal neglect; it was Liberal and National neglect that has brought us to the situation where we need a National Reconstruction Fund. Sadly, it was the former Liberal-National government that did neglect manufacturing right across Australia. I have seen it firsthand with Holden. It was an unforgivable decision to kick that company out of this country. This is despite the fact that one-third of manufacturing jobs are in regional and remote Australia. Manufacturers are based across regional Australia because of the access to natural resources from minerals to agriculture to forestry and to much more. The NRF is determined to continue that focus on our regions. (Time expired)