Ann Sudmalis (Gilmore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week I had the pleasure of hosting four representatives from the Shoalhaven Paper Mill in my office to speak about the ongoing production of passport and secure document paper in Nowra, smack bang in the middle of my electorate of Gilmore. The secure document and passport paper manufacturing industry supports around 100 jobs locally in a region of chronic unemployment and business underinvestment. This is an important specialist industry. The world-class security paper and watermark paper that they produce is entirely unique to our local mill, and any moves to take this production overseas would, I believe, present unacceptable security risks to Australia.

In addition to lobbying this government to continue production in Nowra, I have also signed the Australian pulp and paper pledge, making the promise to use only Australian made and produced paper products in my electorate office wherever possible. This pledge is especially relevant as some copy paper production actually occurs in Nowra during periods of peak production. This mill also produces brightly coloured paper which is packed by disability employer Flagstaff into consumer packs.

In the Shoalhaven Paper Mill we have a great local industry and right now we need to support it in as many ways as possible. This is why it is only right that our community puts its support behind our local mill and we keep up the good fight for passport and secure document production to continue in Nowra. It is especially good at working with the community. It sponsors a number of community medals and works extremely hard for our community.