Keith Pitt (Hinkler, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I rise to make a brief contribution on the report of the parliamentary delegation to Germany and the 68th Annual Session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Can I thank the member for Jagajaga as the delegation leader. Of course, when it comes to national security we are always bipartisan and acting in the best interests of our country. Can I thank the delegation secretary, Joel Bateman, and the staff at the posts in both Berlin and Madrid, and Ambassadors Philip Green and Sophia McIntyre.

We also had the opportunity to visit some quite extraordinary manufacturing facilities as part of this visit in Germany, including the VW factory. For those who are involved in heavy industry or have significant knowledge around manufacturing, this is a business that employs 60,000 people in just one town, in one location. In fact around the factory you can still see damage from World War II. It is quite extraordinary in terms of the length of time that it has survived and the way it actually manufactures cars. To give you an idea, every 18 seconds enough material arrives to put a car out the other end. In terms of advanced manufacturing, it was quite something to see.

We also saw the MAN factory, which basically constructs and delivers multistage super-high-pressure pumps. They are used predominantly for carbon capture and storage around the world, and they have delivered and sold hundreds and hundreds of them. If I recall the numbers correctly, it was around 600 delivered around the world. That is quite incredible. They are expensive and they are quite an impressive piece of machinery to see.

In terms of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, both I and the member for Jagajaga had the opportunity to provide an intervention to the assembly, and I'm very pleased to be able to not only put forward the position the coalition but to of course support the government when it comes to national security and the events in Ukraine. I'm very impressed with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly dedication to what is happening in Ukraine and those particular outcomes which we all strive for, and the fact that they're turning their eyes to the Pacific. For NATO to be turning their eyes to challenges in the Pacific, I think, says everything about the current challenges in the world.

Can I thank the government and all those who organised the trip. It was an important part of what we do here as members of parliament. Once again I place my thanks on the record to the member for Jagajaga for leading the delegation. Thank you.

See this speech in context