Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I want to speak tonight about the inaugural function that was organised by the Parliamentary Friends of Caravanning yesterday. There were three caravans out the front of Parliament House, in Federation Mall, which demonstrated the innovation of caravanning and manufacturing in this country. I want to acknowledge my co-convener Scott Buchholz, the federal member for Wright. I want to outline to the Senate chamber tonight how critically important caravanning and motorhoming are to our economic benefit in this country. It is not just about touring and having a good time, although all that socialising is very important. There is such a strong economic basis to this sector in this country. It also develops and supports our tourism industry right across this country. It is so important for regional and rural jobs. It creates opportunities for families in regional Australia.

We live, no doubt, in the best country in the world. Some of the reasons it is the best country in the world are our wilderness, our national highways, our road networks and the great open space here in Australia. What adventure and this wilderness do is entice Australians and international visitors to go and explore the great mass of Australia. The weekend is synonymous with getting out in that wilderness with your family and friends and going on a fun adventure to see the beauty of our great southern land.

This friendship group aims to share how caravans and motorhomes help to build the great Australian road trip adventure. Over countless years, Australia's expansive roads and regional wonders have enlightened and excited Australians to explore our beautiful country. From Lockhart River in Queensland down to Port Arthur in my home state of Tasmania, it is part of who we are as a nation. We are explorers. We are adventurers. We are innovators.

While caravanning has brought immense joy to a great many Australian nomads and their families, this is not the only value that this uniquely Australian experience has brought to our country. The caravanning and motorhome industry is also one of the biggest supporters of regional jobs—tourism operators, manufacturing and small businesses—throughout this nation. There are over 6,000 businesses across the entire caravan and camping supply chain. Most of us are not aware of the significant economic impact that the caravan industry makes to our economy, with an impressive annual contribution of $23.8 billion. This sector directly employs in excess of 50,000 Australians.

I want to also acknowledge the Caravan Industry Association, the peak body, for what they do in raising awareness about this very important sector. I'd also like to put on record and thank the CEO, Stuart Lamont, and Luke Chippindale for working with us to establish this friendship group and to bring together this wonderful event last night. It was great to have the board of the caravanning association there.

I want to particularly acknowledge Andrew Hewitt from OzX Corp, who is an innovator in this industry. He operates out of Victoria. We saw a fully electronic van that runs off solar power entirely. This innovation is helping to prepare for the EV change that is happening in this country and shows how caravanning is an important part of that innovation.

I'd also like to give a special shout-out to Dennis Austin, the president of Caravanning Tasmania in my home state. It was fantastic to have all of those people in Parliament House, many of them for the first time, and be able to show them around and give them a good impression of the amount of interest there is not only in this chamber but in the other place in supporting this really important sector.

As I said, the value that it brings to rural and regional Australia cannot be overestimated, and I am so proud to be the co-convener with Scott. There will be more from us as we go forward. (Time expired)