Pat Conaghan (Cowper, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is also to the Minister for Industry, Science and Technology. Will the minister please outline how the Morrison-McCormack government is backing innovative businesses in regional Australia to commercialise new products so our regional businesses can compete in world markets and create more jobs?

Karen Andrews (McPherson, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Technology, innovation, science and research are really the keys to driving business growth. On this side of the House, we are firm believers in 'technology not taxes' as the way to create the jobs that we need now and the jobs that we will need in the future. But the key step in that is making sure that we are able to translate the good ideas, to commercialise them and take them through to market. Creating innovative quality products or new ways of dealing with challenges that businesses face will continue to position Australian industry at the cutting edge. It will grow jobs and it's going to drive our economy forward.

We devised the projects stream of the cooperative research centres to help more businesses collaborate with industry and researchers, so that they can turn those good ideas into a job-creating reality. CRCPs are shorter in duration than the traditional CRC programs. They're more lean, they're more agile and they're more able to focus on the specific needs of our industries.

Last year, in the member for Cowper's electorate, Cassegrain Wines received $950,000 for their research project into mitigating smoke taint in grapes affected by bushfires. This is a very practical way that we can help futureproof our wine industry. In the last CRCP round that opened last month, the Minister for Decentralisation and Regional Education and I announced that there will be a particular focus on projects located in regional Australia. We're developing and delivering on our commitment to back our regions, and these grants are the first in a suite of decentralisation measures that are going to create more jobs and investment in country communities, and that is so important. We want to support ingenuity and innovation in our regions, and greater collaboration with industry leading to the commercialisation of research. That is what this government is about, because we believe that is central to making sure that we can drive our economy forward and create the jobs that we need here in this country.

Regional CRCPs have to be located in regional Australia with at least one industry partner relocating from a capital city for the duration of the project. We know that there is a considerable wealth of talent in our communities, and we want to make sure that we are in a position to focus on that. Right across our government, we're ensuring that all businesses are supported to grow and to create jobs. Whether they're in Brisbane or Ballarat, Melbourne or Mullumbimby, Perth or Port Macquarie, Sydney or— (Time expired)