Ian Macfarlane (Groom, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry) Share this | Hansard source

They can laugh, but all they did for business was drive it backwards. Leading the agenda are six major initiatives, which will be implemented over the next 18 months: encouraging employee share ownership—something the Labor Party made an absolute mess of, destroying confidence in that whole area and changing legislation which brought the biotech start-up sector almost to its knees; as I have already announced, reforming vocational education; promoting science, technology and maths skills that we need in our young people; accepting international standards for certain product approvals; as the Minister for Immigration has announced, enhancing the 457 and investor visa programs; and establishing growth centres. The head of BCA, Catherine Livingstone, said it:

… sets out a compelling economic vision that deserves … bipartisan support—

and is a—

… cohesive strategy for restoring Australia’s competitiveness, diversifying our economy and delivering … jobs of the future.

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