Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (Senator Carr) to questions without notice asked today relating to unemployment and to the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.

Today Senator Carr cut a very sad and lonely figure in this chamber. During his desperate attempt to try to answer questions you could see and read from the body language of those sitting behind him and beside him that they were cringing with embarrassment at his performances. Indeed, we had one of the most bumbling performances yet witnessed by this Senate at question time. Senator Carr did not even accidentally stray onto any answer in relation to any of the questions that were put to him. Indeed, he had to be continually reminded of what the question was in response to points of order and the President quite rightly reminded him of the question.

Let us go through these questions, Mr Deputy President, in detail. The first one was about job losses in the automotive component sector. He just simply refused to engage in relation to the issues at stake. He somehow thinks that if he turns up the volume he will not have to provide the substance that is expected of ministers during question time. Decibels will not overcome the need for facts. Shouting is no substitute for substance.

Then when shouting fails he moves on to the blame game. It is a fact that the trade union movement and the manufacturing sector have called for a crisis meeting in relation to job losses in the automotive component sector. But, instead of recognising that, he simply blames the opposition as somehow being responsible for what he is responsible for. That is why he is given a white car to drive around in with a chauffeur. That is why he draws the ministerial stipend. He has to take responsibility and, of course, as we saw today he cannot. He callously disregarded the job losses in the automotive component sector simply as ‘ABS figures moving around’. This really is the language of the Brisbane bureaucrat come to Canberra. Job losses are now described as ABS figures moving around. I remind those opposite that each one of those figures represents an Australian breadwinner. Each one of those figures represents potentially a family unit or a young person embarking upon life seeking a secure future. What is Senator Carr’s response? It is just a case of ABS figures moving around—nothing to worry about.

We then moved on as an opposition to textile, clothing and footwear, and we got exactly the same rant and rave from this minister. There was no answer to the issue of job losses. I simply say this: it is appropriate for the opposition to ask about the number of jobs lost in a particular sector and it is wholly inappropriate for Labor to show an arrogant disregard for those who are losing their jobs.

Thirdly, we moved on to the services sector and we placed the same tale of woe of job losses under Labor. But, when asked, Senator Carr again, either deliberately, or because he cannot, does not deal with the issues, and he then resorts to the blame game. Then we moved to the carbon tax. He had no idea; then he tried to squib the final question, saying that it was Senator Wong’s responsibility. His own administrative orders, when you look at them, start off by saying what his responsibilities are: manufacturing and commerce, including industry. What could be clearer? But the poor hapless minister does not understand.

This minister and this government are presiding over job losses in every sector for which the minister is responsible—automotive, TCF and services. His response is to blame others, to deny that there is a problem, to shout and to resort to every other antic in the textbook of obfuscation. On each occasion his attention had to be drawn back to relevance. The people of Australia deserve better from this minister. The people of Australia deserve better from this government. (Time expired)

Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Talking about antics, we have just heard five minutes of hypocritical statements from Senator Abetz. What did they give Australian working families? I will tell you—Work Choices and AWAs, a policy that was not only strongly supported by Senator Abetz but also taken around our state of Tasmania, where Senator Abetz is from; people were told that they were going to be better off. But that is not the case. Under the opposition’s industrial relations laws—

Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise on a point of order, Mr Deputy President. The taking note motion today was on the answers given by Minister Carr. I do not think that any of those answers included AWAs, and that is where Senator Brown appears to be heading.

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

In taking note of answers we have allowed fairly broad-ranging discussion. I will listen carefully to what Senator Carol Brown says, but at this stage I think she is still in order.

Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Howard government’s AWA individual contracts cut wages and conditions, and that is exactly what the previous government gave Australian workers. The Rudd Labor government has a strong plan to build a stronger, fairer and more secure Australia to help working families, pensioners and carers facing financial pressures and to prepare Australia for the new challenges of the 21st century. Our government has come to office at a time when we are facing some of the most challenging global economic conditions in almost a quarter of a century. The Rudd Labor government is making sure our economy emerges in strong shape from these tough international times so that we can provide quality jobs and security for working families into the future.

We need to build infrastructure for a new century that meets the needs of a rapidly changing world. Since coming to office only nine months ago we have committed to a $76 billion infrastructure investment program, allocating funds for transport, utilities, communications and social infrastructure. The government will invest $26 million in roads and rail infrastructure through the 2008-09 budget to the end of AusLink 2. We will invest $20 billion, through the Building Australia Fund, in transport, energy and water priorities. We will invest $15 billion in education infrastructure through the Education Investment Fund—by establishing trade training centres in schools and computers in our classrooms and by investing in our universities. Also, we will invest $11 billion in health and hospital infrastructure through the Health and Hospitals Fund. As you can see, this government is investing in a range of infrastructure measures which will enable us to build a strong Australian economy. We need an economy that is equipped to tackle the demanding challenges of the global economy, not just now but also into the future.

It was those opposite who failed to prepare Australia for these tough global economic conditions. They were happy to maintain infrastructure when they should have been investing in new measures to ready Australia for the 21st century. It was this 11 years of inaction by the Howard government which resulted in us inheriting a run-down economy. Australia’s inflation was running at its highest level in 16 years and the country was experiencing the second highest interest rates amongst advanced economies. In May, the Treasurer, Mr Wayne Swan, produced a responsible budget, with a surplus of $22 billion, designed to fight inflation and put downward pressure on interest rates. That is now at risk from the economic vandals opposite.

The budget marked the end of short-term reckless spending and the start of responsible investment to prepare our economy to meet future economic challenges. The Rudd Labor government moved quickly to ensure fighting inflation was its core priority, given rising interest rates at the time. Thankfully, we saw a rate decrease yesterday. It is an issue that can no longer be ignored. Over the last three years the Reserve Bank of Australia warned on more than 20 separate occasions that skills shortages and capacity constraints were threatening growth and contributing to inflation. And each time the Howard-Costello government chose to ignore these warnings and failed to act. The strong, responsible economic management the Rudd Labor government has undertaken is already showing signs of providing relief for working families. The Rudd Labor government is committed to continuing our responsible fiscal management. The government understands the financial strain that the official interest rate increases over the last three years and the rising cost of living are putting on household budgets. (Time expired)

Brett Mason (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One of the issues raised by the minister in a rather rambling answer in question time this afternoon was the issue of education. I had to concede—I will give the government this—that the education revolution was a marvellous election gimmick. The problem, of course, is that it has been a disaster in implementation. It is becoming a theme of this government that they take policy ideas from the Blair government and from the great state of New York in the United States—great policy ideas but they are disasters when it comes to implementation, as is the notorious computers in schools program here in Australia.

The initial promise was one computer for each student. All of a sudden that marvellous election time promise morphed into access to a computer for every student. And then it got worse. The promise morphed again. What we now learn from the last estimates program is that the government’s aim is to have one computer for every two students.

Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Or half of one each!

Brett Mason (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Or half of one each! In fact, the government are going to provide half as many computers as they said they would. What we also learnt was this: the government are budgeting $1,000 for each unit. That is roughly $500 for capital costs—the cost of a computer—leaving $500 for all the infrastructure costs. You might remember that, Mr Deputy President. That $500 will have to cover all the start-up costs such as wiring, connection to the internet, networking computers, cabling and so forth. And then there are the ongoing costs, such as maintenance, repair, insurance, security costs, storage costs, ongoing internet costs, air-conditioning costs and on, and on and on—let alone, of course, the money to retrain teachers to better use this new technology. For all these costs the government have allowed $500. That is ridiculous. The best estimates are that the ratio is about one to four—the unit cost being one and the ongoing cost being roughly $2,000. You might say, ‘Oh look, Senator Mason is prattling on in a typical partisan way.’ Well, what did Mr Carpenter, the beleaguered Premier of Western Australia, say? He said, ‘The government have underbudgeted by about $3 billion.’ That is what Mr Carpenter said. And what did Mr Iemma say in New South Wales? In Mr Iemma’s budget papers the New South Wales government explicitly said that they would not pay for the ongoing costs of the Rudd government’s computers in schools program. Why? Because the $500 budget for ongoing costs is nowhere near enough.

What is worse is that we learned about a month ago that Mr Costa, the New South Wales Treasurer, was putting the squeeze on Mr Rudd for a $245 million secret deal to pay the New South Wales government for the costs of computer infrastructure. On page 1 of the Sydney Morning Herald of 30 June 2008 it was revealed in an article titled: ‘How Costa put squeeze on Rudd: School computer debacle’. The article stated:

The Rudd Government has been embarrassed by revelations that it was advised to make a $245 million secret deal with NSW to avoid “a big political problem” and secure support for its election promise to give computers to high school students.

The article went on to state:

In his letter to Mr Swan, Mr Costa said: “In the absence of a firm commitment from the Commonwealth to fully fund these—

extra computer—

costs, the state is unable to participate in round one of the [scheme].”

What a fiasco!

So what have we learnt from all of this? What is the moral of the story? We know two things: that this farce will be resolved in October in COAG and that the moral of the story is that when Mr Rudd turns up with his bright, gleaming computers for every student, leaving the states and parents to pay the ongoing costs, we now know to beware of geeks bearing gifts.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I find it absolutely unbelievable that we have had so much response from the opposition in relation to manufacturing, when, for 11½ years, you were asleep at the wheel—you did absolutely nothing for the Australian manufacturing industry. Elaborately transformed manufacturing exports failed. Investment in the industry failed. Employment in the industry collapsed. You did absolutely nothing. For you to have the hypocrisy to come here and tell the Labor Party what it should do in manufacturing just beggars belief.

I have had some personal experience, as you are aware, in the manufacturing industry. I actually wrote to former Prime Minister John Howard on several occasions seeking an audience to talk about manufacturing jobs. What did I get? I got absolutely no response, and I had written on behalf of hundreds of thousands of manufacturing workers. All the current opposition did was say: ‘Leave it to market forces. Let it rip. Let’s put a couple of free trade agreements in, send the jobs to China, send the jobs to Thailand and continue to be a quarry, a farm and a tourist destination.’ That was the strategy from the now opposition—no vision, no plan and no strategy for manufacturing.

The people I know in the manufacturing industry welcomed the election of a Labor government. They welcomed the appointment of Senator Carr because he is a minister who cares about manufacturing, who cares about manufacturing jobs, who has actually been out and gone into manufacturing plants and who knows the issues that are on hand for that industry. You have probably mentioned manufacturing more today than you did in the whole 11½ years you were in government. You did not care about manufacturing. All you wanted to do was try and compete on cutting workers’ wages, put Work Choices in, ignore investment in the industry and pander to the HR Nicholls Society to say that that is what would bring forward jobs in this country. There were 11½ years of lost opportunity; 11½ years of nothing from you on the other side. You delivered absolutely nothing—no plan, no strategy and no vision.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order! I am loath to interrupt, Senator Cameron, but there is far too much noise and I remind you to address the chair, not the senators opposite.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I apologise, Mr Deputy President. It is my total inexperience in the chamber! I will soon pick up, I am sure!

Mr Deputy President, it is absolute gall of the opposition to be talking about manufacturing jobs when they ignored them for 11½ years—when manufacturing was being pushed to the side, manufacturing jobs were being exported, workers were losing their jobs, communities were being devastated and, when people tried to engage the Howard government, they were being told: ‘Go away. Let the market rip. Everything will be okay. We will continue to be a farm, a quarry and a tourist destination’. There was absolutely no vision for manufacturing whatsoever. Tens of thousands of jobs were lost in Victoria; tens of thousands of jobs were lost in New South Wales. Jobs were disappearing and all the opposition did was sit on their hands and hope that something magic would happen to allow the manufacturing industry to revive.

In elaborately transformed manufactures, the things that make an economy wealthy, our exports declined. We signed a free trade agreement with Thailand, and what happened? Our account deficit and trade deficit with that country increased, mostly in manufacturing goods. You had absolutely no idea what building a strong manufacturing sector was about. And without a strong manufacturing sector we will not survive as a front-line, modern community into the future. (Time expired)

Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think we should dispel something that has already been brought up which obviously relates to Senator Carr. The government asked: what did the conservative side of government bring? It brought the highest level of employment, the highest level of real wage growth and the lowest inflation. It paid off the debt, it presented surpluses and it brought about the lowest interest rates. It brought about record business confidence. And now we hear that we did not prepare the government for the tough times! There were no tough times until they turned up!

Then we hear Senator Carol Brown saying, ‘The government’s priority was fighting inflation’—this is now—‘and raising interest rates.’ Well, they have done a very good job. They have met their objective. They have certainly raised interest rates—they have got that one down pat. Now we have the highest fuel prices, the highest grocery prices, record inflation, record interest rates and the lowest business confidence—and this is supposed to represent a change for the better. Let us go through the specific policies they have now.

Today we have the luxury car tax—a tax on Australian manufacturing industry in the motor vehicle industry, a tax on Australian working families and a tax on the cars that Australia produces. This is another impetus to move Australian jobs overseas, brought about by the Labor government. When I met with some of the manufacturing workers who are here today I found that they are shocked that this government is putting a tax on their workers. It is about to put Australian working families out of a job and about to start moving Australian manufacturing jobs overseas. That is what it is doing. We are seeing the sheer stupidity of putting a tax on a car that Australia produces so that Australians have to move to the cheaper ones that we import. If they do not like that they can move to the dearer ones that the Europeans bring in. This is the sort of government that we have at the moment.

The point that Senator Carr clearly espoused today is their lack of relevance and detail, their lack of ability to get to the bottom of an issue. I was fascinated when once more he asked us to refer to a website—another website. We have to refer to a website for everything in life. We have the personification of the walking website in Senator Conroy, who comes in here with his computers. We have ‘grocery watch’, we have Fuelwatch, we are going to have ‘school watch’ and, for the answers to the question about how the economy is going, we are told to refer to the website. That is the direction in which the government is going.

What has happened with education? Look at this bells and whistles show that they rolled out the other day. Wait for the big nothing that follows that—the big, vacant space of air. Look at their promises. Remember Mr Rudd, before he was Prime Minister, standing up and saying, ‘This is the toolbox of the 21st century’? Now what have we got? We have got the toolbox of the 21st century, but only half the workers are allowed to use it. Then we find that people out west, where they do not have broadband, are not allowed to use it at all. It is gimmickry, because the government have never actually done the detail, the research.

I am fascinated with what is going on with the textile industry. The nirvana for the textile industry is that everybody is going to be wearing a $1,000 pair of RM Williams boots. Well, that is something to look forward to! That is what the Labor Party has presented us with. This is just amazing. These are the geniuses who are going to give us the emissions trading scheme. Wait for this one. Wait for your manufacturing jobs when they are gone. Wait for your rural jobs when they are gone. Wait for when this economy is turned upside down because of your complete ineptness in dealing with the practicalities and the details of managing an economy.

The emissions trading scheme is where the Australian people decide that they have had enough of you, because they can see this one coming. As I say, when poverty walks in the door, love will fly out the window. People’s affection for the Labor government, for the lack of detail and for this gimmickry that we have had to put up with will finish the day the emissions trading scheme comes on board.

Question agreed to.