ANITA, HOST: I would like to welcome to Collie Senator Ayres, and thank you for your time this morning.

SENATOR TIM AYRES, ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR A FUTURE MADE IN AUSTRALIA AND TRADE: Really lovely to be on the show, Anita, and good to talk to you and your listeners.

ANITA: We're going to speak with Senator Ayres morning, who is the Assistant Minister for Trade, Assistant Minister for a Future Made in Australia, and Senator for New South Wales. Senator Ayres is engaging with regional communities to explore practical ways of building on investments in new energy infrastructure to use more Australian content. Senator Ayres will be in Collie this morning to meet with stakeholders, to discuss concerns, needs and the importance of the transition to net zero for Collie’s manufacturing industry. So again, Senator Ayres, welcome to Collie and thank you for your time this morning.

SENATOR AYRES: Thank you.

ANITA: Just a few questions, if I may. Firstly, legislation passed the Federal Parliament last week establishing the Australian Government's Future Made in Australia agenda. Can you tell us what this agenda is all about, please?

SENATOR AYRES: Of course, well, the bottom line is, this is the strongest pro-manufacturing government in recent history. The Future Made in Australia Industry package is the biggest pro-manufacturing policy package in Australian history. It is fundamentally production tax credits for minerals processing, for new industry, for new manufacturing, most of which will be located in regional Australia, regions like Collie. I am particularly interested in discussions with industry partners and the Western Australian Government in Collie today because there are very significant opportunities for investment and industrial development in this region. I want to make sure, from the federal government's perspective, that we are getting this right. It is a good opportunity for me to listen to local community leaders and to industry and to make sure that the Commonwealth government, the Albanese government, is continuing to offer the support and assistance this region needs.

ANITA: That is fantastic. You've probably answered this, but how does Collie fit into this body of work?

SENATOR AYRES: It is another area with big coal-fired power stations that announced their closure under the previous Morrison government. There has been long speculation about closure dates for the two power stations in the Collie region, and in the absence of the Morrison government stepping up, there has been a strong response from the Western Australian government. I am very keen to continue the work that the Net Zero Economy Authority has been engaged in here. Really, there is two components there. Firstly, working with affected communities to make sure there is an economic plan. But secondly, and I think most importantly, working with partners to deliver an investment strategy that sees new manufacturing, new minerals processing, green steel, hydrogen, all these opportunities for the Collie region. Now it is a region that has got great industrial capability. Its mining and its power station maintenance and construction capability is really strong. It is a community that is a very, very good target for future investment. The Albanese Government wants to make sure through Future Made in Australia and the Net Zero Economy Authority that we are continuing to deliver the support and make sure that the best manufacturers in the world are looking at Collie for future investment and future good jobs.

ANITA: That is a very, very good outlook for Collie. If we can get that off the ground, that would be fantastic.

SENATOR AYRES: There is very solid work been undertaken, very strong investment interest and progress on future investments in the region. I am keen to see, firsthand, the progress that has been made, and to work with our partners in Western Australia and industry more broadly, and keep the focus on delivering good jobs, stable investments that are going to build and strengthen this economy for the future.

ANITA: Excellent, thank you. I understand you're here for a roundtable as well. Senator Ayres, can you tell us who's on the round table and what you're expecting to hear?

SENATOR AYRES: I am looking forward to meeting with the Just Transition Working Group roundtable. It has got representatives from the state government, from the local Collie Delivery Unit, industry representatives from the big firms and small-to-medium enterprises, and, of course, the unions, who played a very constructive role here, encouraging the community and industry to come together. So, what I am keen to hear is the practical solutions, the good ideas for the future of this region and to continue the work that has been undertaken so far with the power station closure. This is an important opportunity where, of course, there will be anxiety in the local community about the jobs that are there now, but also the jobs for school leavers, for the kids who are in school now. Making sure there are quality jobs in the region so that people can make good decisions about their future, make the commitment to stay locally, get the training and skills that are required, and continue to make sure that Collie is an industrial powerhouse, not just today, but for many decades in the future.

ANITA: Yes, that's very, very important. Why is revitalising local manufacturing important to you and the government?

SENATOR AYRES: I came from the manufacturing sector. I have seen the damage that happens to communities where manufacturing goes offshore, and we need to be able to do two things in Australia. One is defending our current manufacturing capabilities and strengthen competitiveness and the sustainability of our manufacturing businesses. But secondly, we need to secure new manufacturing investment. The Albanese Government's Future Made in Australia package is all about driving new manufacturing investment from the world's best manufacturers, in particular, in Western Australia, bringing forward opportunities for Australia to become a renewable energy superpower and an industrial powerhouse in areas like green iron and green steel, in processing critical minerals rather than just digging them up and sending them offshore. These are the new jobs, the new industry, that will reshape the Australian economy and make us stronger in the future.

ANITA: And that's what it's all about, isn't it, the future?

SENATOR AYRES: Yeah, that is right. As a government, right now, we have got a focus on the cost-of-living challenges and the incomes of Australians right now. We have got an aggressive agenda that is focused on delivering tax cuts to every single working Australia. Putting downward pressure on areas like childcare, cheaper medicines, lifting the pressure off households in areas like energy bills. These are the here and now challenges. But we are also focused on reshaping the Australian economy in the interests of the country and the interests of Australians, particularly regional economies, and that means reindustrialising and rebuilding our manufacturing capability.

ANITA: Is there anything else you want to add, Senator Ayres?

SENATOR AYRES: No, that's fine. Thanks Anita, good to talk to you.

ANITA: Thank you again, Senator Ayres, for your time, and I hope your day proceeds seamlessly.

SENATOR AYRES: No worries. Catch you later.

ANITA: Thank you. Bye, bye.


ENDS.