Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Senator Sinodinos. It relates to manufacturing jobs. How many Australian manufacturing jobs have been lost since the Abbott-Turnbull government came to office? How many more manufacturing jobs are projected to be lost by the end of 2017, when Ford, Holden and Toyota stop building cars in Australia after the former Treasurer and Deputy Prime Minister goaded carmakers to leave?

Arthur Sinodinos (NSW, Liberal Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable senator for his question. I can report that since the last election 421,400 new jobs have been created, with substantial opportunities particularly in service sectors. What we are seeing is a transition in the Australian economy as we wind down from the mining boom, and this is providing opportunities across service sectors and manufacturing sectors. It is true that manufacturing employment—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pause the clock. Senator Cameron, on a point of order?

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I raise a point of order on relevance. I asked a clear question followed by another question: how many manufacturing jobs have been lost and how many jobs are projected to be lost with the closure of Ford, Holden and Toyota? The minister has gone nowhere near those questions.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would not say he has gone nowhere near that. He certainly has been answering the question. I invite the minister to continue his answer and I remind him of the question.

Arthur Sinodinos (NSW, Liberal Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can report that manufacturing employment in Australia declined by 117,000 workers over the five years to November 2015. In other words, it did not happen overnight. There has been a long-term trend in the reduction of manufacturing jobs. What will happen—I fearlessly predict this in the next 12 months—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pause the clock. Senator Cameron, on a point of order?

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I again raise a point of order on relevance. I asked how many Australian manufacturing jobs have been lost since the Abbott-Turnbull government came to office and how many will be lost as a result of Ford, Holden and Toyota closing down.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister is answering the question, not as specifically as you have asked it, but I think we have to give him the benefit of the doubt and allow him to continue to answer. He has been addressing the topic directly.

Arthur Sinodinos (NSW, Liberal Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The long-term decline of manufacturing as a share of total employment is occurring in most major OECD economies. In Australia, employment in manufacturing is projected to decline by 26,000 over the five years to November 2019, primarily driven by a fall in motor vehicle and motor vehicle part manufacturing following the announced planned closures by Ford, Toyota and Holden. This follows closures on the watch of the previous government and is a trend which means that, for us to reverse it, is the opposition saying that we should revamp—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pause the clock.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I raise a point of order. I have been very patient. The minister was asked how many Australian manufacturing jobs have been lost since the Abbott-Turnbull government came to office. He still has not gone to that question. And he still has not gone to the question of how many jobs will be lost in manufacturing as a result of Ford, Holden and Toyota being goaded to leave Australia.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Cameron. The minister has been on topic and the minister has been relevant to the question—not as detailed as you have asked in your question, but I will allow the minister to continue.

Arthur Sinodinos (NSW, Liberal Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I believe I have answered the last part of the question, but I can report that notable growth is projected in the food product manufacturing sector, and other sectors will grow, including in manufacturing, as the dollar stays low. If members opposite are saying we should be putting more money into motor vehicle production, why did they not do that on their watch? They cut jobs—

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I raise a point of order, again on relevance. The question was unequivocally clear: how many Australian manufacturing jobs have been lost since the Abbott-Turnbull government came to office? He has not gone near that. And how many jobs will be lost as a result of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Treasurer goading Ford, Holden and Toyota to leave Australia?

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Cameron. The Cabinet Secretary is aware of the question. I invite the Cabinet Secretary to continue.

Arthur Sinodinos (NSW, Liberal Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on Labor's watch, one manufacturing job was lost every 19 minutes. That is their commitment to manufacturing. They did not have a strategy. (Time expired)

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Just before I do that, could I acknowledge members of the AMWU and Wayne Thompson in the gallery, workers here concerned about their jobs—

Government Senators:

Government senators interjecting—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Go to the question, Senator Cameron.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the minister aware that more than 1,500 jobs have already been lost from the strategically vital shipbuilding industry on this government's watch, including 40 at BAE Williamstown and 150 at Forgacs just this month? How many more shipbuilding jobs will be lost before this government sorts out its litany of broken promises on submarines and confusion on the offshore patrol vessel build?

Arthur Sinodinos (NSW, Liberal Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can assure the workers who are here today that we are addressing the valley of death in shipbuilding that was left by the previous government. That is what we are about. We have announced a continuous build in shipbuilding. We have a competitive evaluation process in relation to the submarines. I can assure the workers here today there will be no better friend for Australian shipbuilding than this government and this Minister for Defence.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I was going to raise a point of order. I am not sure whether the minister has finished.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think the Cabinet Secretary has concluded his answer. Cabinet Secretary, have you concluded your answer?

Arthur Sinodinos (NSW, Liberal Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What a pathetic performance that was then.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cameron, to the question.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. I refer to the threat to the Arrium steelworks at Whyalla and Minister Pyne's refusal to commit to working with the state government to address the challenges Arrium faces. How many manufacturing jobs must be lost before the minister and the Prime Minister take the issue seriously?

Arthur Sinodinos (NSW, Liberal Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In relation to Whyalla and Arrium, the honourable senator should be aware that we have instituted an inquiry to look at the general issue of steel and steel imports in the region and at what is impacting on the competitiveness of the Australian industry, and we will have more to say on that in due course. But, if you want to promote Australian industry, you have to be more competitive and you have to cut red tape, and this government is doing whatever it can to make Australian manufacturing benefit from better conditions.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order, Senator Cameron? I think the Cabinet Secretary has concluded his answer.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Another absolutely pathetic performance.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Cameron. You have no point of order.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

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