Sarah Henderson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Communications) Share this | Hansard source

No, I'm not putting a hypothetical situation, Minister, and it seems to me that you are failing to address this question. These are real-life fears in the Geelong community about Geelong manufacturing.

The former coalition government inherited a situation where, when we came into government in 2013, Ford had announced it was closing—on Labor's watch. We came into government in 2013 when Geelong was on its knees. Manufacturers had no confidence in the future. We worked extremely hard as a coalition to turn the economy around locally. Now we have a vibrant manufacturing sector, which is also working well together.

Now, under these laws, your government is proposing to pit manufacturer against manufacturer, to create a war, an industrial war, in Geelong. We are one of the most successful manufacturing regions in the country. The fact that you, under your laws, cannot provide Geelong manufacturers—or, in fact, any manufacturer around this country— with any guidance is a disgrace.

I am not posing hypothetical questions, and, with respect, your answer was pathetic. It shows how little this government cares about manufacturing. It is ridiculous that your government and you as the responsible minister, the acting minister, cannot tell Australians or AKD Softwoods—an incredible company based in Colac, supported heavily by the former coalition government, which has grown exponentially and is now the largest producer of softwood timber in this country, with more than 1,000 employees—if this business is in the same geographical area as Bulla Dairy Foods, which is located three kilometres away, in Connor Street, Colac? That is absurd.

So I would invite you to provide manufacturers in Victoria, including in the Geelong region, with the certainty that they require so that they know that perhaps their futures are assured. Right now, in the offices of the Geelong Manufacturing Council and in the offices of every manufacturer in Geelong and across Victoria, and, frankly, across this nation, there is deep fear. So, again, I ask you to address the question. And, if the answer is, 'This is a matter for the Fair Work Commission,' then that's fine, but please address the question.