Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for her question. I do agree that it is true that I believe regions can be the biggest beneficiaries of moving into a new global economy where decisions are being taken outside of this country that impact on our regions. It's important that we take the opportunities that come with those new energy technologies, which can yield great opportunities for our regions. As the world continues to take action together, that will have a positive impact on Australia's climate as well. But I would also say this: it would be foolish to pretend that the economic changes that are occurring as a result of the world's response to climate change will not have negative consequences for rural and regional areas. That would also not be true. We are not blind to that, and that is why the Liberals and Nationals together will ensure that the policies that we have in place seize those opportunities, which come from those technologies, in rural and regional areas, but also enable them to deal with the negative impacts that will inevitably come because of the impacts on more traditional industries.

We want to keep making steel in this country. We want to keep making aluminium in this country. We want to keep making ammonia in this country. We want to continue the manufacturing jobs in this country. I note there are now over one million Australians employed in our manufacturing sector, as at 21 August this year. That is the first time manufacturing employment has been above a million jobs for over a decade.

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