Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Member for Goldstein, I'll be keeping the jacket on! The point is that there are some great products that come from the Northern Territory. Some of you may not know this, but even the European fashion houses of Louis Vuitton and Hermes farm our crocodiles for their high-quality skin, to be used in high-end handbags, shoes and belts worth tens of thousands of dollars. My little beauty here that I am wearing today is not worth that much—but, if you are ever in the Northern Territory, pick up a crocodile skin belt. You will never wear anything else again.

I also want to point out—and, again, some members may not know this—that the Territory is home to an industrial hemp industry. The NT Labor government has awarded its first commercial licence. The first crop will open the doors for new jobs, manufacturing and export opportunities. Hemp is so versatile and profitable. It is used for food, fibre, oil, seed and potentially stockfeed, and it is used in the manufacturing of products like cosmetics, clothing, rope and other building materials. The Northern Territory has a competitive advantage when it comes to growing hemp because we produce a dry season seed crop over winter which can be supplied to the rest of Australia for summer planting.

About a fifth of all Asian vegetables that are grown in Australia are grown in the Top End. That includes bok choy, Asian eggplant, cabbage, bitter lemon, bitter melon, lemongrass, choy sum, galangal and chillies. We've been in a position to feed Asia for years. Not only do we have the capacity but the loyal crowds at our local growers markets on weekends will tell you that we're growing some of the tastiest produce in the country. We are growing table grapes in Alice Springs, in the member for Lingiari's electorate—and we've got black-lip oysters in West Arnhem Land. We are supplying the Middle East with dates. We're the largest Southern Hemisphere grower of spirulina—which often ends up in green smoothies in hip Sydney and inner-city Melbourne cafes.

The cotton and gas manufacturing industries are soon to take off, creating thousands of local jobs. I fully support the need to foster Aussie industries, but let's do it with deeds as well as words. And, by deeds, I mean money—moula, cashola.

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