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Thursday, 9 February 2012
Page: 579

Senator COLBECK (Tasmania) (14:58): Does the minister believe that the deliberate downgrading of the manufacturing portfolio is in the national interest?

The PRESIDENT: That is in order.

Senator CARR (Victoria—Minister for Manufacturing and Minister for Defence Materiel) (14:58): I think this is an opportu­nity for me to express my views to the Senate on the value of manufacturing, surely a subject which all in this chamber would support. I have no doubt of that because of the overwhelming strength of public opinion for the policies that this government is pursuing with regard to the defence of the living standards of the one million Australians who work in manufacturing. Of course I take the view that it is an honour to serve those one million Australians, to ensure their prosperity and to ensure that they get a fair cut of the action in this society and get real opportunities not just for themselves but for their kids. I will maintain that commitment, as I have throughout my entire length of service in this Senate.

Senator COLBECK (Tasmania) (14:59): Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Given the importance that the minister claims he places on manufacturing, is it not a fact that under his watch around 130,000 manufacturing jobs have been lost since mid-2008; that the green car innovation scream—sorry, scheme, but that is about all it put up; it hardly even put up a scream—was scrapped without notice to the car industry; and that the cash for clunkers scheme that he so passionately talked about was scrapped before it even started? Does the minister accept responsibility for any of these disasters in the Australian manufactur­ing industry?

Senator CARR (Victoria—Minister for Manufacturing and Minister for Defence Materiel) (15:00): I thank Senator Colbeck for yet another dorothy. The government's position is that we are standing shoulder to shoulder with manufacturing workers right across this country. We are in a situation where we have seen, as a direct result of the unprecedented rise in the value of the Australian dollar and the unprecedented level of competition from cheap imports, that working people in manufacturing are facing acute pressure. I would have thought that this Senate would come together to defend their interests, but unfortunately that is not the case. Your position in regard to the auto­motive industry, for instance, is to see the destruction of that industry and to see the destruction of 200,000 jobs for Australians that work in that industry and industries associated with it. That is a position that I reject, and it is a position that this govern­ment rejects. We have maintained our commitment to ensuring that working people in this country get a fair go, and we will do all we can to ensure that that happens. (Time expired)

Senator COLBECK (Tasmania) (15:01): Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. I note that the only sector of manufacturing that this minister wants to talk about is the automotive sector. There are a lot of other people who work in other manufacturing sectors. Is it not a fact that this is the first time in 40 years that direct ministerial responsibility for manufacturing has not been in cabinet? How does that demonstrate the government's commitment to the manufacturing sector?

Senator CARR (Victoria—Minister for Manufacturing and Minister for Defence Materiel) (15:02): Manufacturing employ­ment was at 953,500 people in the December quarter of 2011, which is actually a net increase of 7,900 people. I will introduce one moment of fact there.

Opposition senators interjecting—

Senator CARR: You asked the question about the automotive industry and I respond­ed. What I will always say in response to you is that we remain undaunted in our efforts to actually work to ensure the prosperity of the Australian people, and we remain committed to that task. We are unashamed in efforts that we have taken to defend working people, and it is a pity you did not show more interest in the prosperity of the people of this country.

Senator Chris Evans: Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.