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

It's good to get some questions, at least from my own side. The other side seem to have given up on me!

Honourable senato rs interjecting—

I know you've got a great interest in rebuilding manufacturing in this country. Last night the Senate passed the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation Bill, and this is one of the largest investments in manufacturing in Australia's history. This is the Albanese Labor government's first step in rebuilding Australia's industrial capability—and I was pleased to see Senator Colbeck last night picking up on this very point and making it on a number of occasions—so that we can be a country that makes things again. Australia should be a country that makes things. Australia must be a country that makes things because making things here will help secure Australia's future prosperity and drive sustainable economic growth.

The National Reconstruction Fund will leverage Australia's natural and competitive strengths by providing finance to projects in priority areas. It will make investments in projects that will support, diversify and transform Australia's industry. In agriculture, forestry and fisheries, in resources, in transport, in medical science, in renewable and low-emissions technology, in defence capability and enabling capability, the National Reconstruction Fund will revitalise and strengthen our local supply chains to ensure that we have our own industrial and manufacturing capabilities. It will invest in businesses so that they can invest in their workers, developing the skills that we need now and into the future. We got to this point by working together with the crossbench, and I congratulate them because, when the coalition stepped back, the crossbench had to step up. (Time expired)