Mr BARRESI (2:48 PM) —My question is to the Minister for Trade. Would the minister inform the House of the recent developments in Australia's auto exports with regard to the Middle East. What impact does our auto export industry have on jobs growth?

Mr VAILE (Minister for Trade) —I thank the honourable member for Deakin for his question. Indeed, I have pleasure in informing the House that the latest development in terms of Australia's auto exports to the Middle East took place in Melbourne this morning. I had the honour of participating in a ceremony in Melbourne where a shipload of the current model Camrys was being loaded, bound for the Middle East. Our auto exports have dramatically increased in number since 1996, to the point where last year we sold $5 billion worth of auto exports to the world. The auto industry is well on target to achieve its goal of selling $6 billion worth of exports by 2005.

It is interesting to note that in 1996 we exported 44,000 vehicles to the world and last year we exported 112,000 fully built-up vehicles across the world. The shipment that left this morning will mean that Toyota Australia has exported 250,000 individual units, manufactured in Australia, to the markets of the world. Of those—for the interest of the member for Deakin—200,000 have gone to the Middle East market. If you go to Saudi Arabia or Dubai, all you see are Toyota Camrys driving around everywhere—and they are all manufactured in Australia. They form part of an industry that employs 386,000 Australians.

Mr Howard —Along with our 1997 policy.

Mr VAILE —Exactly right. There has been a significant increase in the number of jobs in the auto sector. That is a direct result of this government's policies in terms of the auto industry in Australia since 1997, but also in terms of the broader economic management of the Australian economy by our government, which has created a much more competitive and efficient environment in Australia so that it can compete in the markets of the world. That is an undeniable fact. We all know that all those changes have been opposed every inch of the way by the Labor Party. They have not supported one of the changes that this government has introduced in that time. If you go and ask the people in the industry, they will tell you that these changes have undeniably been the root cause of the increase in exports to the markets of the world.

It is important that we recognise that the Australian export sector is not just fundamentally based on commodities anymore. Our exports are not just minerals, resources and agricultural products; those products are now being equalled, in terms of earning capacity for the Australian economy, by elaborately transformed manufactures like the auto sector. I congratulate Mr Ken Asano and Mr John Conomos from Toyota; they have done a fantastic job, along with their work force. If you go into that factory in Altona, you will see that they do a fantastic job. I recognised that at the launch this morning. They have an assembly line that equals the best in the world.

The challenges for the future still rest in the stability of this industry. We have heard in recent times from the AMWU about the militant action that they have taken, particularly to the first tier suppliers because they are the critical suppliers to this industry and can bring it to a standstill. Earlier this year, I tabled a document—the yearbook from the AMWU—which indicated:

These are the prospects of challenge for the industry in the future. The industry leaders know what the problems are. If the trade union movement continues to try and undermine the success of this industry the way it has done in the past, it should stand condemned not only by the people that work in the industry and that have achieved these exports but by all Australians, given the contribution the automotive export sector makes to the Australian economy.