Mr GAVAN O'CONNOR (8:53 PM) —Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. If I can get a word in edgeways in this debate, given the member for Braddon's contribution, which was an excellent one here tonight, I would like to say that the Textile, Clothing and Footwear Strategic Investment Program Amendment Bill 2004 is basically aimed at providing an alternative value-adding cap for leather and technical textile firms in the final two years of the Strategic Investment Program. The opposition intends to support this legislation, as it seeks to support Australian industry in its quest to become more efficient, more internationally competitive and, in the long term, more viable.

Mr GAVAN O'CONNOR —I have listened with a great degree of interest to the contributions to the debate of members on both sides of this House. Indeed I listened with particular interest to the contribution of the member for Corangamite. Down in the Geelong region the member for Corangamite is known as `Captain Zero' for his advocacy of zero tariffs for the Australian car industry. It would be of little comfort to textile workers in Geelong to hear his contribution to this debate tonight, in which he claimed success and a vindication of the government's policy to reduce tariffs even further without review.

There is a major distinction between the policies advocated by the member for Corangamite and those advocated by Labor with regard to this industry. It is simply this: we will, in government, in a short period of time, initiate a review of the textile, clothing and footwear industry and further tariff reductions. We will do that simply because we hold the view that this particular industry has undertaken significant restructuring in recent years. We owe it to this industry, the workers in it and the communities that support it to conduct a review of what is happening with regard to the textile industries of other countries and with regard to some of the practices that are entrenched in many of the countries we seek to export to—practices that are substantial barriers to our country's gaining access to those markets.

The member for Corangamite seeks to deny Geelong TCF industries the opportunity offered by Labor to carry out such a review before 2005—a review not only of what has gone on in the Australian industry in response to a changed international environment and altered domestic circumstances such as significant increases in the exchange rate but also, as I said, of the practices in other countries where there are substantial barriers to textile, clothing and footwear firms in Australia that have done the right thing over the last 20 years. Having restructured their enterprises, innovated, allocated resources to research and development and invested in capital equipment, they still face significant barriers to entry into those particular markets.

The impacts of adjustment have been substantial in the Geelong region. The adjustment has not occurred without significant pain to families in the Geelong area and, of course, the community of the whole region. There have been significant impacts on women in the work force in Geelong and families who have depended on those particular—

Mr McArthur —What about a button plant?

Mr Pyne —You've got no shame.

Mr GAVAN O'CONNOR —Mr Deputy Speaker, save me from this Costello-ite who is now at the dispatch box who seeks to stab his leader in the back with every utterance that he makes!

Mr Sidebottom —Is it April?

Mr GAVAN O'CONNOR —It must be April Fools' Day, Mr Deputy Speaker!

The DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Jenkins)—Order! The honourable member for Corio will ignore the parliamentary secretary. The parliamentary secretary will cease interjecting. The honourable member for Corangamite's flattery of the occupant of the chair earlier does not give him protection. He will sit here in silence.

Mr GAVAN O'CONNOR —I say to the honourable member for Corangamite that his views will cost him the seat of Corangamite at the next election. He knows we are breathing down his neck. He knows that the electors are waiting there with baseball bats on the other side of the Barwon River, ready to terminate his political career and that of his leader—that great tariff reducer, the current Prime Minister of Australia.

The Strategic Investment Program is a very important program to TCF industries in Australia. This particular scheme has three significant areas where resources are allocated that have great relevance to TCF companies in the seat of Corio. The scheme provides grants for new plant and building expenditure. The most significant TCF firm in Geelong, Godfrey Hirst, has been a recipient of grants under that particular section of the scheme. It also provides significant resources for research and development expenditure and, of course, for TCF value adding. That does not cover the full range of areas at which the scheme is aimed, but those are three very important areas that have given many Geelong firms an opportunity to restructure their particular operations to meet the changing demands of the market. Indeed, Mr Deputy Speaker, I alluded to the fact—

Mr McArthur —It's Mr Speaker—wake up!

Mr GAVAN O'CONNOR —Thank goodness, Mr Speaker, you are here to save me from the member for Corangamite.

Debate interrupted.