Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Hansard source

I do not have your girlish figure; that is true, Senator. But, Senator, whenever I go to these functions I may well note the official statements that people make but then I speak to individual companies. Individual companies are telling me repeatedly that, while conditions are tough, while circumstances are difficult, the opportunities for new investment are very substantial.

Just today I have had people come to my office pointing out that there are many billions of dollars in new investment coming forward irrespective of the changes we are making in regard to climate change and that the companies are very anxious to take advantage of the $20 billion in assistance that the government is providing, in terms of co-investment, which will lead to a very substantive transformation of manufacturing in this country.

So I do stand by the statements that I have made. I stand by the fact that we have world-class research facilities in this country; that science and research is providing an enormous opportunity to reinvent companies in this country to develop new products, new industrial processes and new markets. That is the future for manufacturing in this country—an innovative future, a prosperous future for Australian manufacturers.