Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Carr. Will the minister be convening an urgent crisis meeting, as called for by the AMWU, to discuss the massive job haemorrhaging which has afflicted Australia’s manufacturing sector since the election of the Rudd Labor government?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What I would like to do is advise the Senate that IBM and the University of Ballarat have announced today, 27 August, that they will be constructing a new $10.8 million IT services centre at the University of Ballarat in connection with the Victorian government and the City of Ballarat. The centre will lead to the creation of a further 300 jobs and is expected to contribute an additional $61 million to the region’s economy.

The state of manufacturing as a whole is an issue of deep concern to this government. This of course stands in sharp contrast to the position that was taken by the previous government. The previous government, if we take for instance the automotive industry, took the view that the arrangements entered into in 2002 should stand and should not be adjusted in the light of the dramatic change in circumstances arising as a consequence of the increases in interest rates, increases in the price of petrol and the dramatic changes in the currency. Those three factors led to a fundamental change in the circumstances of the Australian automotive industry and its ability to deal with the competitive pressures facing this country. I say the automotive industry because we all understand—I trust we understand—just how important the automotive industry is strategically to Australian manufacturing.

There have been a number of claims made about the state of employment in manufacturing. I am deeply concerned at the number of job losses that have occurred in recent times as a result of the changes that have occurred within the global competitive environment, but I think it also should be appreciated that since this government came to office, in the period from November 2007 through to May this year—appreciating that in terms of the ABS figures the samples often jump around considerably—we have had a situation where there have been an additional 23,000 jobs created. There have been an additional 23,000 jobs in manufacturing across Australia in the period that this government has been in office. So, while there are circumstances that are of deep concern at the moment, we ought to understand the nature—

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise on a point of order, Mr President. I did not ask the minister about the University of Ballarat and I did not ask him about the ABS. I did ask: will he be convening an urgent crisis meeting as called for by the AMWU? I would request that you draw his attention to the question.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As you know, Senator Ferguson, there is no point of order, but I draw the minister’s attention to the question that was asked and the relevance of the answer.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The answer I am giving is very much in line with the question that was put. The issue of the state of Australian manufacturing, I repeat, is a matter of deep concern to this government, which stands in sharp contrast to the view of the previous government. I, of course, deal with manufacturers on a daily basis, I deal with unions on a daily basis, and my concern for the welfare of working families, I think, stands in sharp contrast to the position that was taken by previous ministers in the previous government. We are in the business of ensuring that we have a comprehensive response to the difficulties faced by the industry at this time. Unlike the previous government, we are ensuring that there is ongoing, sustainable prosperity for all Australians, not for just a few.

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a supplementary question, Mr President. In prefacing my supplementary question may I remind the minister of just some of the manufacturing industry job losses under his watch: Mitsubishi, 930 jobs; OneSteel, 270 jobs; Fisher and Paykel, 310 jobs; South Pacific Tyres, 600 jobs; Boeing, 550 jobs; Holden and Ford, almost 1,000 jobs—and the list goes on.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question, Senator Ferguson?

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When will the minister stop blaming everyone and everything else for these job losses, accept that the deliberate slowing of the economy by the Rudd Labor government is a significant factor and act to address the problem?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is quite apparent to me that Senator Ferguson has forgotten a great deal in his transition from being President to Deputy President. Perhaps we should remind him. The simple facts of life are these: there have been 23,000 new jobs created in manufacturing in the period in which the government has been in office. This follows a period of profound neglect by the previous government. For the Deputy President of this Senate to assert that the decision with regard to Mitsubishi was the responsibility of this government—it occurred within one month, if I recall rightly, of us being sworn in—strikes me as grossly hypocritical at best.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.