Fran Bailey (McEwen, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. Is the Treasurer aware of the appointment of Roy Green and officials from the trade union movement to conduct the government’s review of the textile, clothing and footwear sector? Why has the government again ignored Treasury advice that the Productivity Commission conduct the review?

Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I certainly welcome the question from the honourable member. As is the case with the automobile industry and is the case with the clothing and textile industry, they are very, very important manufacturing industries in this country and we make no apologies for the urgency with which we approach the problems challenging these industries. The principal problem challenging these industries at the moment, among many, is of course our exchange rate. We will from time to time take decisions about inquiries and involve the full expertise of the federal bureaucracy and agencies in those inquiries. The Productivity Commission will be involved in any future inquiry into the textiles industry, just as it is involved in the auto industry.