Terry Young (Longman, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

This week we started rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine to aged-care residents and frontline health workers. This is an important milestone for Australia as we continue our economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also pleasing to hear this week that Australia's AAA credit rating has been reaffirmed by Fitch. Australia is just one of nine countries to hold a AAA credit rating from all three major credit rating agencies. But, despite these positive milestones, it's still vital that we continue to back our local producers and manufacturers and support Australian jobs.

Australian made products are synonymous with high quality, safe and ethical goods that support local jobs. I've seen firsthand when visiting manufacturers in my electorate of Longman like Factory Direct 4x4 Exhausts and Roy Gripske & Sons, both in Narangba, how important businesses like these are to the local economy. They create jobs locally as well as further afield through the various supply chains. In fact, manufacturing employs almost 5,000 people in my electorate. To put that in context, the number of people employed in manufacturing in Longman makes up 7.4 per cent of all people employed in local industry jobs. This puts Longman amongst the top tier of electorates in Queensland that are providing manufacturing employment opportunities.

It's not just manufacturers. Longman is also home to some wonderful producers and innovators like Little White Goat Cheese in Wamuran. Little White Goat Cheese owner Karen Lindsay started a few years ago with two goats on a farm. She now has about 100 goats and produces anything from soap to ice cream and custard. She has created the world's first freeze dried goat's feta cheese, which can keep in a pantry for up to a year without spoiling. I've tried this amazing product and can testify: it is delicious. This innovative product is now being sold to a number of high-end restaurants as well IGA supermarkets.

The COVID pandemic also inspired Karen to invent a product called Luv Handles—not the type that I developed over Christmas!—which prevent shoppers from coming into direct contact with the handles on shopping baskets and trolleys. There's no doubt that COVID-19 has presented us with challenges, but it has also presented enormous opportunities for Australian manufacturers and producers. There is no finer example of this than Karen, who has rightly been recognised as a great local businesswoman and innovator. Yet, despite these successes, Australia is still reliant on other countries for many products that could be produced locally.

Nine out of 10 Australians have said that they believe that Australia should produce more products locally. In fact, there has been a groundswell of interest in Australian made products since the start of the pandemic. As the vaccine rolls out, it's vital that we keep Australian products at the forefront of our thinking.

Since the virus hit, 52 per cent of Australians have shown a high preference for Australian made products, and almost half of Australians are more likely to buy more Australian made products. A recent KPMG study found that, if households spent an extra $50 a week buying Australian made goods, it would deliver a $30 billion boost to the nation's COVID-19 recovery and create tens of thousands of jobs. One of my main aspirations in government is to help create more jobs in Longman and reduce the unemployment rate.

This government understands the importance of local manufacturing and has a plan to help local businesses grow, become more resilient and boost global competitiveness. We have committed $5 million over the next four years to promote Australian made products overseas. The Australian Made logo is used by more than 2,800 businesses and is universally recognised by Australian consumers. It has a proven 34-year track record in promoting quality products, and we want to increase the impact of this trusted symbol overseas so our exporters can grow and employ more Australians.

The federal government's $1.5 billion Modern Manufacturing Strategy will also help to harness Australian manufacturing capability and drive our economic recovery and future resilience. Manufacturing is critical to a modern Australian economy and a vital part of our plan as we emerge from the global COVID-19 pandemic. It is key to almost every supply chain and adds value across all sectors. This strategy recognises that we must play to our strengths and target sectors that allow us to achieve scale and generate future growth. Investments by the Morrison government to support Australian made products and manufacturers will place Australia as a world leader. Our support of the Go Local First campaign is also a positive investment into our local businesses.

Local businesses are the backbone of our communities. When they are going strong, the whole economy and community benefit. As Australia comes through this global pandemic, it's more important than ever to continue supporting Australian made products and our local businesses.

See this speech in context