Lee Rhiannon (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 813, standing in my name for today, relating to Australian made steel.

Leave granted.

I move the motion as amended:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) more than 10 000 jobs are directly dependent on BlueScope Steel's operations in Port Kembla,

(ii) over 20 per cent of young people in the Wollongong region between 15 and 24 years of age are unemployed, and many more are under employed,

(iii) the Port Kembla steel works have been the backbone of the Illawarra economy for more than 80 years, and

(iv) the 'New Steel Deal' proposed by the South Coast Labour Council and the Australian Workers' Union Port Kembla, and supported by many other stakeholders in the Illawarra, includes a public procurement framework mandating at least 50 per cent of Australian made steel in all federal and state infrastructure projects; and

(b) calls on the Government to consider policy options, such as the New Steel Deal, and to commence discussions on the future of the Port Kembla steelworks with unions, BlueScope Steel management, the New South Wales State Government and other relevant stakeholders with a view to saving the steel industry in Port Kembla.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

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

There being no objection, leave is granted for one minute.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Australian government encourages major projects to develop an Australian industry participation plan which sets out how they will provide full, fair and reasonable opportunity for Australian industry to participate in the project. In line with international obligations, an Australian industry participation plan does not mandate the use of Australian industry but provides opportunities for capable and competitive Australian industry to participate in investment projects. Mandating local content would increase costs to the community and to major project proponents, with associated risks of reducing competition and moving projects offshore.

Australia's obligations under the WTO Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement require that regulations do not create unnecessary obstacles that inhibit trade. In principle, progress towards implementing regulation is in response to increased risk, to justify the increased cost and impact. Every policy option must be carefully assessed, its likely impact costed and a range of viable alternatives considered in a transparent and accountable way against the default position of no new regulation.

Question agreed to.