Aaron Violi (Casey, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for the Digital Economy) Share this | Hansard source

It's important to rise on this motion because the reality is that we have to meet the world as it is, not as we'd like it to be. At the moment there is conflict all through the world. The rules based order is not stacking up; it's not providing the roles that it has previously. Australia needs to step up, and we need to work with our partners all across the globe. Middle powers have a crucial role to play to make sure that they are at the table and looking after Australia's best interests first, democracy's best interests and fellow allies.

Australia has had a long partnership with the European Union and with Europe; there's a strong connection. Many Australians, my family included, have a family connection. My family came from Italy in 1953 and established a farm in Silvan in my community of Casey. My family proudly became Australians and joined the Australian story but still kept a bit of their heart at home. Every migrant does that journey of loving their new country while always remembering their homeland, and the European Union partnership is so important when it comes to that.

While this is an important signing, action speaks louder than words. Unfortunately, like so many of the government's announcements, the words sound good but the actions don't deliver. Let's look at point 3: 'affirms the government's commitment to continue to provide new international opportunities for Australian businesses at the cutting edge of defence technology and innovation, in parallel with a Future Made in Australia.' While this motion talks about backing international opportunities, this government made a decision to no longer fund our partnership with the European Southern Observatory, an agreement signed in 2017 by the coalition. Australian astronomers use this observatory to make new technological discoveries. It's helping when it comes to defence. Defence applications include things like directed energy and laser weapons, antimissile warning systems, improved laser communication—so many technologies that are crucial in the modern world. So we have a government that moves a motion about how they're going to do something, but, at the same time, their actions take away one of the crucial pillars of our science, technology, research and innovation communities. The community lobbied the government, explained to them the importance of this funding but, like with so many things, this government didn't listen. Australian defence industry, Australian technology, and Australian research and development will be worse off because of this decision by the Albanese Labor government.

Again, the government talk a big word. They talk about AI and the importance of artificial intelligence yet there are no follow-up actions from this government to strengthen AI partnerships with the European Union, with any business at all. You get a press release, you get a statement with some warm fuzzy words, but you get no certainty for business to invest in AI, in cybersecurity, in quantum. In fact, when it comes to quantum, this government under the Future Made in Australia strategy spent $1 billion of taxpayer money to back a US Silicon Valley company—PsiQuantum—and that project is behind, delayed. It was supposed to be at the Brisbane Airport. But just last week quietly, conveniently at the same time as the budget and all those conversations, it was announced that the Brisbane site is no longer viable; they're now moving to another site. There is no accountability from this government about the billion dollars that goes to an American company.

Again, this government is big on talk. They like to put a lot of motions forward that have merit in the sense that we do need to work together with our partners. We do need to continue to back defence industry, and technology research and development. But their actions don't match their words, and that's before we even talk about the disgraceful broken promise on the capital gains tax, which will punish tech companies in defence industry and every tech company that wants to invest and get ahead in Australia. (Time expired)

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