John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Regional Development, Senator Nash. Can the minister please update the Senate on how the coalition government is supporting innovation in rural, regional and remote Australia?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Minister for Rural Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Williams for his question. I think Senator Williams understands better than most the innovative and resilient nature of our rural and regional people. Be it the beef producers of the Northern Rivers, the horticulturalists of the Riverina or small businesses out there in the far west, Australian businesses have always had the 'have a go' mentality and have a record of being resilient and competitive in an ever-globalising economy.

That is why in December last year the Prime Minister announced the National Innovation and Science Agenda. The innovation agenda will help create the modern, dynamic, 21st-century economy that Australia needs and that those on this side of the chamber understand very well. The government announced 24 measures involving $1.1 billion of spending to create highly paid jobs and to help Australia compete globally. It will encourage every business across the country to be more innovative and entrepreneurial and to be prepared to take more risks.

Initiatives under this agenda include the Incubator Support Program, which will focus on regions and sectors of higher innovation potential and further fund regional universities. To make it easier for promising businesses to hire and retain top staff, we will make existing employee share scheme rules more user friendly. There are also new programs and support designed to boost innovative activity and help businesses, including regional businesses, to break into global markets.

This is complemented by the $30.8 million commitment in the agricultural competitiveness white paper, which has seen agricultural counsellors established in Vietnam, Malaysia and the Middle East. The Rural R&D for Profit program funds R&D projects which focus on delivering cutting-edge technologies. The coalition government are going to make sure that we look at all parts of the innovation sector to support rural and regional communities.

John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I thank the minister. Can the minister please advise the Senate on how my state of New South Wales will benefit from the focus on innovation and how this focus in turn stimulates jobs and growth?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Minister for Rural Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As those on this side of the chamber in particular would know, regional Australia has a track record of innovation and the senator does not need to look too far from his own local community to see examples of this. Up in Inverell, businesses like Boss Engineering are forward-thinking and going from strength to strength. Boss recognises that building machines with the highest levels of accuracy is vital. Farmers have highly honed sowing practices—indeed, I know firsthand about that—and much of it is driven by the use of GPS—global positioning satellite. Bigger machines are sought by farmers who want to capture the best sowing window possible and it is great to see that Boss has planters up to 36 metres in width as part of their innovative future. Farmers who buy Boss planters use zero or no-till methods and invest in machinery that will give them the best results. This government is absolutely focused on supporting those local regional businesses having a go.

John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a final supplementary question. How does the coalition government's focus on regional development help to foster greater innovation and growth in rural and regional and remote Australia?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Minister for Rural Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This government recognised that innovation is encouraged when foundations are there to allow small businesses and entrepreneurs to prosper. That is why we delivered on the National Innovation and Science Agenda, something we did not see from the other side.

All government programs and policies have a role to play in triggering growth. That is why we have invested $100 million in round 1 of the mobile Black Spot Program that will deliver 499 new or upgraded base stations. We have already committed a further $60 million for round 2. How much did we see from those opposite when it came to mobile black spots? None, not one dollar. We are looking at Roads to Recovery, Bridges to Renewal and the National Stronger Regions Fund to deliver real outcomes for our rural and regional communities. On this side of the chamber, we know that government has to support rural and regional communities, not try and walk away from them, which is what we saw from those opposite. It is this government that will deliver for rural and regional communities.