Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Happy Thursday, everyone. My question is to the Minister for Industry and Innovation, Senator Ayres. Bring it home, mate. A strong manufacturing industry president is key to Australia becoming more self-sufficient and less vulnerable to global supply chain vulnerabilities and pressures. What action is the Albanese Labor government undertaking to back in Australian businesses and strengthen our manufacturing industry?

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) | Link to this | Hansard source

It has been a big week in the Australian Senate—a big week delivering real change for young people who want to get their first home. That's what this Senate has done—not slogans, not Insta posts, but real tax reform, the hard road for Australians. The pathway in manufacturing is just the same—delivering real change for workers, real change for industry and tax cuts. The people who stand in the way are just the same. We have the biggest pro-manufacturing package in Australian history, from the Albanese government. It's to build a future economy that makes Australia stronger and more resilient and includes our regions and outer suburbs meaningfully in our economy. It is delivering for Australia 7½ thousand more manufacturing firms since 2020 to 2022. Manufacturing exports are up by 43 per cent. Manufacturing investment is up by 35 per cent—real substance not posturing.

I did watch with interest what the alternative position is on these questions, and that is self-indulgence and a race away from the centre. The Leader of the Nationals in the Senate, Senator McKenzie, as opposed to the Leader of the Nationals who's in the Senate, has spent her time not here in the Senate fighting for manufacturing jobs but in London at some bizarre offbeat—

Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order—there shouldn't be any reflection upon the absence of a senator from this place.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

That's correct, Senator Scarr, but I don't think Minister Ayres actually referred to whether a senator was present or not. He just named—

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price (NT, Country Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Skills and Training) | Link to this | Hansard source

He did.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

If he did, then he shouldn't have done that. Minister Wong?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd ask you to consider that ruling, because I think, if the senator is making clear through media where they are, it is a legitimate point. You're right—there should not be no adverse inference in circumstances where that is not a public matter. But, if the senator is making clear where they are publicly, surely that's a matter of legitimate debate in the Senate.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, it is a long-held convention in this place, regardless of what might happen outside of this place, that we don't make reference. Senator Ayres, I don't think we normally ask people to withdraw, but I would ask you to withdraw.

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm happy to withdraw.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Quick, ask ChatGPT.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Canavan, which part of 'Order!' did you not understand? Senator Ciccone, first supplementary?

Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister, for that wonderful answer. No wonder we call you the best industry minister this country has ever had.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, I do anyway! The Albanese government, as we know, is providing much-needed support to back Australian businesses facing an uncertain global environment. How is the Economic Resilience Program helping these Australian businesses manage the cost pressures, and how is it maintaining critical supply chains?

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks, Senator Ciccone, I think you've made my life more difficult than it necessarily needed to be! The Economic Resilience Program that we announced shortly after the conflict in the Middle East commenced is a good example of the practical assistance that this government is providing. Since the program opened eight weeks ago, more than $220 million in zero-interest loans has been approved for more than 240 firms impacted by the supply chain crisis, principally freight and logistics firms that have not immediately been able to pass diesel price rises on, predominantly small and medium businesses. That has kept Australia moving and kept essential supply chains moving.

So, while the Liberals and Nationals are focused on themselves and getting closer and closer to their partners in One Nation, this Albanese government has been delivering for blue-collar workers and for Australian manufacturing.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister. Senator Ciccone, second supplementary?

Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Alright, last one—here we go. Minister, I'll be polite. Many businesses and, I think, many in the economy are starting to get confidence, and that is good to see, thanks to very strong and decisive action that has been taken by the Albanese government of late and also for a period of time. But I want to ask you this, Minister: what are the alternative views on how to support Australia's manufacturing industry, something that I know you and I have a very strong and personal connection to?

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, there's a difference between real action and cheap political slogans. There is a real difference between real support for businesses like the Mount Isa smelter, the Port Pirie lead smelter, the Hobart zinc smelter and Whyalla steel, billions of dollars worth of support for the Boyne aluminium smelter, working hard in every industrial area—

including, as Senator Colbeck points out, in north-east Tasmania. We have been working hard, as a government, with real businesses. And what do we see over there? Mr Hastie's Insta posts. I don't want to reflect on whether or not people turn up here, but Insta posts are not a substitute for a complete lack of industrial policy. All that Mr Hastie has contributed is imported ideas that, if implemented, would export Australian jobs. This is a party that has lost its way completely and doesn't really know anymore what it really stands for.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister Ayres.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.