Deborah O'Neill NSW, Australian Labor Party
3:00 pm
My question is to the Minister for Industry and Innovation, Minister Ayres. The Albanese Labor government has demonstrated time and time again a commitment to a future where we still make things here in Australia. From Tomago to Central Queensland, Mount Isa, Port Pirie, Whyalla and Hobart, we've seen this government backing Australian industry. But securing industry for Australia requires delivering real change that not only meets the needs of today but sets it up for the future. Minister, how is the Albanese Labor government securing a future made in Australia that builds a stronger and more resilient Australia?
Tim Ayres NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation
3:01 pm
Thank you to Senator O'Neill. You are right, Senator O'Neill—Tomago Aluminium, the Boyne smelter in Central Queensland, Mount Isa copper, Phosphate Hill's fertiliser manufacturing facility, Port Pirie's lead facility, the Hobart zinc facility, Whyalla steel—
Tim Ayres NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation
What you need to do, if you're serious about dealing with Australia's industrial capability, is start approaching these issues through the prism of—
Sue Lines President
Minister Ayres, please resume your seat. Senator Colbeck, I specifically asked you to stop the running interjections, and you simply ignored me, once again being disrespectful to me. If you can't listen in silence, leave the chamber.
Tim Ayres NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation
Now, these senior representatives of the parties over here, the Liberals and the Nationals and One Nation, who have spent the week telling lies about what is driven—
Tim Ayres NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation
I withdraw—deliberate falsehoods constructed for political purposes to try and drive an approach that would cause the closure of each of these facilities.
Now, President, Senator Canavan went out earlier this week—after hundreds of Australian steelworkers had spent month after month after month in a gutsy, heroic effort to maintain a coal-fired blast furnace that had been driven into the ground by its previous owner—and said it was about energy costs. Senator Canavan went out and said it was about the safeguard mechanism. That is a deliberate falsehood. It is utterly disrespectful to those proud outback Australians, who actually get up out of bed and go to work, well before Senator Canavan ever breaks a sweat, and actually make a contribution themselves. If you make that claim, either you're wilfully wrong or you're deliberately misrepresenting the position for the narrowest, shallowest partisan purposes, using blue-collar workers as a prop for your sordid political campaign.
Sue Lines President
Senator Ayres, when I asked you to withdraw, you did, and I thank you for that. But you immediately went on to use the word 'deliberate' in front of 'falsehoods', which is an imputation. You did it twice. I would ask you to withdraw it, please.
Tim Ayres NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation
I withdraw.
Deborah O'Neill NSW, Australian Labor Party
3:04 pm
Thank you, Minister, for that great defence of hardworking Australian people. The Albanese Labor government has a plan to deliver real change for Australian industry and manufacturing. Minister, how is government helping Australian industry to invest and to grow?
Tim Ayres NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation
The first step is telling the truth and not playing interference and being a lapdog for British billionaires who've let Australians down, driven our facilities into the ground and caused immense pain and suffering for that community. The problem for Senator Canavan and One Nation is they argue about who's lapdog they want to be.
Sue Lines President
Minister Ayres, I ask you to direct your comments to me as the chair. And, whilst you didn't name people, it's very clear who you're talking about, so I also ask you to withdraw that comment.
Tim Ayres NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation
I withdraw. I'm angry about this, President, because when—
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Senators:
Opposition senators interjecting—
Sue Lines President
Senator Ayres that's a debating point. Resume your seat. Those on my left once again! Senator McKenzie and Senator Canavan, I've invited you three times now to leave the chamber. As you've chosen to stay in here, my ruling is that you sit in silence. Minister Ayres.
Tim Ayres NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation
As I was saying, I am angry about this because I'm on the side of Australians who are fighting for the future of manufacturing. I'm on the side of telling the truth, analysing the problem properly—
Anthony Chisholm Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Regional Development
On a point of order, they didn't wait five seconds, President, before they started interjecting again. I'm very interested in this answer and I can barely hear even though I'm right next to the minister.
Sue Lines President
As I'm sure you're aware, I'm trying my very best—Senator Canavan, I have not come to you. I'm trying my very best to get the chamber to be silent. I think at this moment that's not a battle that I'm winning. Senator Canavan.
Matthew Canavan Queensland, Liberal National Party
On a separate point of order, it might help the chamber if the minister's comments are made through the chair, according to the standing orders. That would help.
Sue Lines President
And it would greatly assist the chamber if you were quiet. I have directed Minister Ayres to address the chair, and I'll remind him again.
Tim Ayres NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation
This deliberate approach continues with the approach that One Nation and the Nationals have taken in the Hunter over the future of the Tomago Aluminium facility. The approach championed by Senator Canavan would lead to the closure tomorrow of the Tomago Aluminium facility. So he's okay with the partisan political campaigns, but he couldn't break a sweat for blue-collar workers.
Deborah O'Neill NSW, Australian Labor Party
3:07 pm
The Albanese Labor government is delivering on its plan for the future, building a new energy system and helping industry—
Sue Lines President
Senator McKenzie! I don't know—perhaps you can assist. Thank you.
Senator O'Neill, it does not need an interjection from you. It's easier for me to manage the chamber if everyone's quiet, including you. Please continue your question.
Deborah O'Neill NSW, Australian Labor Party
The Albanese Labor government is delivering on its plan for the future, building a new energy system and helping industry invest so that Australia can weather a more difficult global trading environment. I'm delighted I'll be able to hear the answer now, Minister. What are the risks to this approach?
Tim Ayres NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation
3:08 pm
The risk is, if you don't take a fair dinkum approach and you're not honest about the problems that confront these businesses, then you can't be part of the solution. We have delivered for those heavy-industry facilities. We've delivered a 43 per cent increase in manufacturing exports and $56 billion worth of additional exports, and manufacturing investment is up by 35 per cent. Much of that can be credited to the work of our very fine Minister for Trade and Tourism over here. There are 7,000 more manufacturing firms in Australia than when the Albanese government came to office. The manufacturing share of GDP is up by 22 per cent. If you actually break a sweat and work on behalf of Australians and work with them, instead of yelling dishonest slogans at them, you make real progress and deliver real change in the outer suburbs and the industrial suburbs that used to be able to count on some of these characters for some fair dinkum support. (Time expired)
Don Farrell SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism
President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.