Senator Kim Carr

ADDRESS TO THE ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTES

CANBERRA

Thursday, 7 DECEMBER 2017

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The annual report released today by the Chief Economist into the Australian Innovation System reveals an embarrassing story of failure for the Turnbull Government.

That’s why the release of this report had been delayed for several days without explanation and has now been made public on a day that will ensure their failings go unnoticed.  

Under this government business investment in research and development has, as the report describes, “declined sharply” falling by 12 per cent – or $2.2 billion – since 2013-14. 

LIBERALS DESPERATE TO DODGE BLAME FOR AUTO CLOSURE

The comments made by Liberal MP Nicole Flint show just how out of touch Turnbull’s Liberals are when it comes to automotive manufacturing and the workers the industry sustained.

The Member for Boothby told parliament last night in a speech about the Holden closure that Labor and the unions had;

“left Australia with the most globally uncompetitive wages in the world and have effectively priced Australian workers out of the market. The most generous salaries and terms of conditions of employment are worth absolutely nothing if you don’t have a job.’’

Nicole Flint MP, Federation Chamber 23/10/17

Murray Goulburn has announced that there will be a loss of approximately 70 manufacturing jobs across their Koroit, Cobram, Maffra and Leongatha sites.

Labor is dismayed by the news of further job losses at Murray Goulburn and our thoughts are with the workers, their families, and communities at this difficult time with Christmas just around the corner.

Labor has been calling on the Coalition Government and Murray Goulburn to act on the ongoing crisis in our dairy industry for over 12 months. 

HOLDEN CLOSURE A DAY OF SHAME FOR TURNBULL & LIBERALS

After 70 years of motor vehicle production in Australia, General Motors Holden will today close its Elizabeth manufacturing plant, ending car making in this country.

Labor’s thoughts are with the company’s 1000 employees, many of whom have worked at Holden their whole lives.

The closure of the automotive manufacturing plants and the loss of their workforces is a tragedy.

It is a tragedy for automotive supply chain firms, which face an uncertain future.

It is a tragedy for the Australians employed by those supply chain firms, many of whom will endure prolonged job instability. 

It is a tragedy for Australian advanced manufacturing, which relied heavily on the technological innovations developed by the automotive industry.

E&OE TRANSCRIPT

RADIO INTERVIEW

ABC RADIO TASMANIA

MONDAY, 20 NOVEMBER 2017

SUBJECTS: Advanced Manufacturing Future Fund, wages, citizenship.

LEON COMPTON, ABC TASMANIA: Kim Carr is the Shadow Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, and is in Tasmania at the moment. Kim Carr, good morning to you.

SENATOR KIM CARR: Good morning.

COMPTON: Thank you for coming in this morning. You are in Tasmania at the moment to talk more about an advanced manufacturing fund that Labor has announced that it will set up if elected. What are the opportunities that will create for advanced manufacturing, of which there is much in Tasmania?

CARR: We want to be able to provide assistance to small and medium size enterprises to get access to finance because the banks are letting people down, letting companies down and are letting workers down.

They are letting Australians down because they are not providing access to finance for people who want to expand, diversify, develop new economic opportunities.

So we believe that the government should step in, provide assistance to firms. The fund will have an independent board and should have the capacity to provide finance just as we do with the Clean Energy Finance Corporation which has worked very, very well, produced a good return for government but also a great return for the Australian people.

The Senate last night called for the establishment of a National Rail Manufacturing Plan to maximise the benefits for Australians from the $46 billion investment in rail expected over the next decade.  

While demand for new railcars is expected to grow by 11,000 in the next 30 years, it is critical we make the right choices now to ensure the manufacturing capabilities associated with their production remain in Australia supporting Australian jobs. 

The Plan should include a mechanism to remove the peaks and troughs in market demand, to create some certainty for manufacturers.

Labor congratulates the recipients of the 2017 Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science, who were recognised at an awards ceremony at Parliament House last night.
 
Each of the recipients – Professor Jenny Graves AO, Laureate Professor Eric Reynolds AO, Professor Jian Yang, Distinguished Professor Dayong Jin, Mr Neil Bramsen and Mr Brett McKay – is an example of the outstanding talent that lies in Australia’s laboratories and classrooms.
 
These awards reflect the nation’s pride in the important contribution that science and research make in driving innovation across our economy and creating the jobs of the future.

Good morning, and thank you for the invitation to address your Industry Leaders Forum once again.

I wish to acknowledge the chair of the Australian Food and Grocery Council board, Mr Clive Stiff, the chief executive, Ms Tanya Barden, and board members.

When I spoke at this gathering two years ago, I talked about the dismantling of innovation and industry assistance programs established under the former Labor Government.

On this occasion I want to remind you of Labor’s approach to innovation and in particular, industry policy.

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash’s comments this morning on the closure of Holden demonstrate that she has no understanding of the skills needed to participate in global value chains, the key to success in advanced manufacturing.

The Minister’s unsubstantiated assertions that $30 million in grants to 20 businesses in Victoria and South Australia means that ‘the future is a positive one’ shows her lack of understanding of the challenges Australia faces.

If our industries are to compete in the international market the skills of our workforce need to be improved. This will require a more effective skills system, but the Turnbull government has no such plan for skills.