I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, I pay my respects to their elders past, present and emerging.
This is a room full of innovators and job-creators and employers.
You have put your faith in Australia, you have invested in this nation and our people and their skills.
You have invested in our self-reliance, in our resilience, in our capacity to compete and win in the world.
And in doing so you have created secure jobs and opportunities in suburbs and regions around Australia.
I am determined to lead a government that upholds your faith – and shares your commitment.
A government that works with you to deliver a new generation of Australian manufacturing success.
***
I can honestly say that I’ve been a lifelong supporter of Australian food and beverage manufacturing.
One of my happiest memories as a boy growing up in Camperdown is heading down to the corner of my street with mates to Weston’s biscuit factory – and getting freebies of Wagon Wheels which were imperfect.
The sheer volume of Wagon Wheels that I ate in those days…means I’m sorry to say I’ve not had one for decades.
But I am comforted by the fact that all these years later, Wagon Wheels are still made in Australia.
For me, for Ed Husic, for every member of our Government, revitalising manufacturing isn’t about happy memories or nostalgia.
Manufacturing – including food and beverage manufacturing - is about the future.
Your industry is at the heart of our ambition for Australia to be a nation that makes things here again.
Where we do even more with what we have, and we do it better.
Value-adding and taking full advantage of the skills and creativity and hard work of the Australian people.
This is why we have made our National Reconstruction Fund, a priority for the first sitting of parliament this year.
This is one of the biggest-ever investments in our country’s manufacturing capability.
It’s about learning a fundamental lesson of the pandemic – so Australians aren’t left stranded at the end of global supply chains.
It’s about building a long-term safeguard against inflation and keeping your great products on the tables of Australian families and on the menus of Australian restaurants.
And investing in manufacturing means industries like yours can continue to export your great Australian products to the biggest markets and the fastest-growing economies in the world.
Countries where ‘Made in Australia’ stands for high quality, high-skill and sustainable production.
Making sure we’re best placed to deliver a new generation of Australian workers the secure, well-paid jobs they deserve.
In some areas, I appreciate government needs to catch up where business is leading.
Because I know there’s a huge amount of innovation happening across the food and beverage supply chain already, keeping Australia at the front of the pack worldwide — especially around sustainability, packaging and reducing waste.
I’m proud that through the National Reconstruction Fund, $500 million will be available to invest in unlocking potential in agriculture, forestry, fisheries, food and fibre.
And a further $1 billion for advanced manufacturing.
Ed and I are looking forward to working with all of you, to maximise the value of this national investment.
And maximise the opportunities for Australia to succeed.
I thank all of you from the nation’s food and beverage manufacturing industry for coming together tonight.
Here’s to a better future ahead.
A future made in Australia.