James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is for the Minister for Jobs and Innovation, Senator Cash: Can the minister update the Senate on how the Turnbull government's policies are helping the manufacturing sector in Australia?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Jobs and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Paterson for his question. As Senator Paterson and those on this side of the chamber would know, when it comes to putting in place the right policies so that businesses are able to prosper and grow and create jobs for Australians, the Turnbull government is doing exactly that. Since September 2013, when the coalition was elected to office, the economy has created in excess of one million jobs. In fact, we're almost at 1.1 million jobs. This doesn't happen by accident. This happens because you put in place the right policies. As a result of our strong economic management, we've also seen an improvement in the number of manufacturing jobs in Australia. And today members and senators would have seen pleasing reports that Holden Engineering is now increasing its workforce in Australia by 150 employees. So, what we're going to see is Holden's engineers in Australia working on the next generation of autonomous, electric and hydrogen vehicles that will then be sold on the global scale.

Senator Kim Carr interjecting—

Senator Carr, I'm delighted to take your interjection because, under the former Labor government, under which you were minister, we actually saw one in eight manufacturing jobs disappear in this country. Under Senator Kim Carr, we saw one in eight manufacturing jobs disappear in this country. Senator Carr, you may well like to know that in the last 12 months under the Turnbull government we have seen the number of manufacturing jobs in Australia increase by 47,700. Again, this doesn't happen by accident. It happens because you put in place the right policies, which allow our businesses to prosper and grow, and, when they prosper and grow, they create jobs.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Paterson, a supplementary question.

James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How have the government's policies, which have lowered costs for Australian businesses, impacted on these results?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Jobs and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, when you create the right economic framework—and that obviously includes policies that are good for business, for example, lower taxes, less regulation, investing in infrastructure and signing on to free trade agreements—you see positive results across the entire economy. And under the Turnbull government's positive economic policies we are seeing jobs created across the board. As I have said, almost 1.1 million jobs the economy has created since we came into office, and this includes in manufacturing. The manufacturing sector in Australia is transforming, and what we're doing as a government is putting in place those policies which are supporting our manufacturers to innovate, and, through their innovation, they are able to create more jobs. For example, through our industry-led growth centres initiative, we're investing in sectors that we know have a competitive strength and opportunities to go global. And a number of businesses that were once just here in Australia are now operating to a global— (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Paterson, a final supplementary question.

James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the minister aware of any risks to this important sector?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Jobs and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The answer is yes.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order on my left!

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Jobs and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can hear him from the other side—Senator Carr!

Senator Kim Carr interjecting—

Senator Cameron interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senators Carr and Cameron.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Jobs and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Carr was responsible for Labor's antibusiness and antimanufacturing policies which saw manufacturers in Australia leave this country. It is a fact that, under the policies which Senator Carr presided over, one in eight manufacturing jobs in Australia disappeared. (Time expired)