Prime Minister
Mr Tristan Opie: Welcome to Opie Manufacturing, here at Emu Plains, Western Sydney. We’re a contract manufacturer, making all sorts of sheet metal products for the building and construction industry. We work with the automotive aftermarket producing for the Australian economy.
Ms Melissa McIntosh MP, Federal Member for Lindsay: Thank you very much Tristan and to Alyssa and the whole Opie family. As someone who grew up in this area, the Opies have been here for a long time. I’m really proud to have a great Aussie manufacturer right here in Emu Plains because in Western Sydney we make stuff and Opie Manufacturing make a lot of things for the Australian market. I’m really happy to be here with the Prime Minister to show how we’re creating jobs as we emerge through the pandemic. How we are supporting our local manufacturers by having new apprentices and trainees coming through and how we are backing our local Aussie businesses all the way. So thank you very much.
Prime Minister: Thank you very much Melissa, it’s great to be back here in Lindsay, Western Sydney and here today in Emu Plains. To all the Opie family, Tristan, Alyssa, and to the whole crew, there are over 40 people working here, it’s wonderful to be here. Thanks for the tips today and a bit of training on the job, thank you. When it comes to my welding skills, with each opportunity, they improve.
But, before I make some remarks about why we're here today, again I just want to extend on behalf of the Government and Jenny and I, our deepest sympathies to all the families and all the community in Devonport for this horrific tragedy, that's occurred with the loss of five young precious lives, and more that hang in the balance. I want to thank all the first responders. You know, our first responders each and every day are trained to deal with some of the most unimaginable things, but on this occasion I think it goes well beyond what even they could have imagined and the scene that was on the ground. I spoke to the Police Commissioner this morning and thanked him and through him, all the first responders. I've spoken to the Premier again today. We're working on some programs of support for the entire Devenport community. I mean you can imagine, this is a tight-knit community. There would be few people, if any, in Devonport , who wouldn’t had a connection to one of those families, to that school, to the first responders, to those who have been impacted by this terrible, terrible tragedy. And I know people will just be in shock, they’ll be in grief, they’ll be in disbelief. And I just want to assure them that we will do everything we can to support you through this time, not just today, but into the weeks and months that are ahead as you somehow seek to process this terrible, tragic event. We will continue to work closely with the Tasmanian State Government. I've been talking to Gavin Pearce as well, the Member for Braddon, who was on the scene yesterday, speaking to those directly who were there and taking in and seeking to support what had occurred at that terrible scene yesterday. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone in Tasmania but particularly for the families who have lost their children. As a parent, there are no words, there can only be prayers.
But here we are at Opie today on brighter news, because yesterday we learned of jobs roaring back into our economy. 350,000, in fact 360,000 jobs coming back as the lockdowns lifted and the Australian economy sprung back and in addition to that now, we know that there are 188,000 more jobs today than there were before the pandemic began. And when you look at the jobs recovery in Australia, and you compare it to the biggest and most advanced economies in the world in the G7, Australia tops them all, all of them. The United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, France, and the list goes on, Canada. Australia has outpaced them all in our jobs recovery. And that is exciting, because it's in places just like here at Opie where we already make things in Australia, we have been making them in Australia for a long time and Opie have been doing it for 60 years, and like other manufacturing businesses that I’ve I met here with Melissa, and we've seen them adapt and change and overcome and go through things like pandemics and other challenges that they have faced in the past and here they are, looking for six more employees to come on board and that is the job story occurring here in Australia. There are more than a million Australians working in manufacturing today. Our government has restored that, restored Australia to making things again and making them here in Western Sydney. Under Labor one in eight manufacturing jobs were lost. We have come through and are coming through the worst global pandemic in a century but yet, we are getting more people into jobs. The unemployment rate just three years ago when I became Prime Minister was 5.2 per cent. Today it is 4.6 per cent. So we're keeping the promise of jobs to Australians by ensuring that we're working alongside businesses right across the country. Unprecedented tax incentives through the Instant Asset Write-off program, which means millions of dollars of investment which is going into manufacturing businesses like this, can be written off immediately, fully expensed in one year. Businesses like this, manufacturing businesses in the suburbs of our major cities are now paying 25 per cent as a corporate tax rate, not 30 per cent. These are the supports that are enabling businesses to have confidence and invest through this pandemic. You've just seen the investments they've put in place with the plant just outside this building. These investments were being made in the pandemic because this is a business that's looking through the front windscreen. They're looking forward, they’re looking forward at the opportunities, and the jobs, and their future prosperity, and we're backing them in, whether it's through the tax arrangements we put in place, whether it's the fact that we have got more apprentices in trade training right now at 217,000, than we have ever had in recorded history in this country. And those records go back to 1963. So, those who tell you there aren't people in trade training at the moment, those who want to tell you other stories, these are the facts. This is the truth. 217,000 Australians in trade training right now, which is the highest level on record since they were kept in 1963. And when you invest in skills like we have, when you invest in increased university places, 30,000 more this year, then our manufacturing industry has that future. The Modern Manufacturing Initiative is a key part of our economic recovery plan as we go into the future, supporting businesses just like these ones here and so many around the country.
The other thing that will continue to support us as which face down this pandemic is jabs. Jabs and jobs. That's what our government is delivering. Yesterday, again, we had another record day on the booster shots for Omicron. We are now over a million booster shots that have already been delivered right across the country. In addition to that, we have now passed the 90 per cent double dose vaccination rate right across the country. Which means that not only have we had one of the lowest death rates of COVID anywhere in the world, and one of the strongest advanced economies as these jobs' figures demonstrate. And remember, it was the Labor Party who said that the real test of the Government and of the economic recovery was jobs. Well, the Labor Party have just told you, by their own benchmark, that the way to secure the economic recovery is to vote Liberal, because we have delivered on those jobs. The third area is we've delivered one of the highest vaccination rates anywhere in the world and, so, you put jobs and jabs together, and that means our economy can have the strength going forward.
Now, the other thing I wanted to mention to you today is we have signed in the new UK Free Trade Agreement today. What that means is, when we came to government 27 per cent of our trade was covered by these pro-export agreements for Australia, just 27 per cent. With the signing of the UK Free Trade Agreement, which was new negotiated between Prime Minister Johnson and I when I was in the UK earlier this year, and finished off by the Trade Minister, Dan Tehan, and I congratulate Dan for his great work, we now have 75 per cent of our trade covered by these pro-export agreements that give Australian exporters that opportunity. 27 per cent to 75 per cent of our trade covered. Unemployment in the last three years, 5.2 per cent down to 4.6 per cent and 188,000 more jobs in the economy, higher than we had before the pandemic. So, I want to thank everybody here for the great job they're doing, making things for Australia, making things in Australia, making jobs here in Australia, and happy to take some questions.
Journalist: Speaking of jabs, surging demand for boosters is causing supply problems for some GPs and pharmacies. Should the states be reopening mass vaccination hubs to help out?
Prime Minister: We are encouraging the states and territories to keep as many of their vaccination hubs and other facilities open, because of the acceleration of the booster program. It's something we discussed last meeting between Premiers and Chief Ministers and I, and they were keen to get that advice. We've give than advice that we need to keep as much of this open and rolling. We are now almost up to 200,000 doses being administered a day, again, because of the strong interest and response from the Australian public to the booster program. We didn’t haven't to pay people to get vaccines. Australians know it's important. I see the Labor Party have walked away from that thought bubble and we need to give people that opportunity, which we are. We're seeing those vaccination rates for boosters accelerate. The time period was brought forward on the medical advice to five months. They're considering if that should come forward again, that's a decision for them. They're the medical advisers. But we have enough vaccines, plenty of vaccines. We’ve got 9,000 points of presence with our pharmacists and GPs. The state effort will also be important and in talking to the Premier of Tasmania early today, it was another issue we discussed and they're certainly rolling that out and continuing to roll that out. Tasmania is well over 90 per cent now, doing a terrific job down there.
Journalist: Prime Minister, your government has repeatedly insisted an Indigenous voice will be legislated this term of parliament. Can you keep that promise that that will happen?
Prime Minister: What we said is we would follow the co-design process. That was our commitment. That was set up and I want to thank Marcia and Tom for the great job they've done in pulling that together. We're proceeding with that. We're keeping that commitment. We said we would work through that co-design process.
What I'm trying to do here is ensure that we can hear the voices of Indigenous people on the ground because I want to close the gap. This is not some political exercise. In order for us to close the gap on infant mortality, in Indigenous communities, to reduce substance dependence, to reduce child abuse, to get kids in school, to ensure that we can improve maternal health in Indigenous communities, to get young people and their parents into jobs, to do that you have to work in partnership with local Indigenous communities. That's why I'm interested in this. This is about listening to local Indigenous communities and that's where the voice must start. It doesn't start with grandiose gestures, it doesn’t start with big political speeches, it starts on the ground pulling together local Indigenous communities and listening carefully to them so we can get service delivery right. That's what our voice is about. It's not about other things, it's about hearing and it builds on the local voices that are already there and where that has been successful. So, that's what we're committed to doing. It's about closing the gap. That's what I'm about. I'm about closing the gap, not setting up political edifices, I'm interested in hearing what's happening on the ground and that's where Ken Wyatt and I have always had our focus. That's where it must start. That's where we're starting. That's what the co-design process has delivered and that is us keeping that commitment.
Journalist: Will the plans for the election derail the process? (INAUDIBLE)
Prime Minister: I don't believe it will derail the process from moving ahead and listening to the voices of local Indigenous communities and organising that as best as we possibly can. I'm very committed to doing that for one simple reason: It helps us deliver better services to Indigenous people right across the country, to improve their lives, to increase their lifespan, to improve the health of their kids. That's what this should be about. It's not about politics. It's about the health of young boys and girls, Indigenous to this country, growing up in their communities. That's what I'm interested in. I'm not interested in the political gesturing.
Journalist: Prime Minister, just on a local topic, Labor has announced its federal candidate for Lindsay, Trevor Ross, last week. How confident are you that Ms McIntosh and the Liberal Party have what it takes to win the seat of Lindsay again?
Prime Minister: I can only quote the Labor Party. When the Labor Party said the test of the Government was the ability to generate jobs through the pandemic and lower unemployment, well, we're at 4.6 per cent, and those jobs are right here in the electorate of Lindsay. So I can only take it from that that the Labor Party are advocating a vote for the Liberal Party here in Lindsay because we've delivered on the benchmark that they themselves have set. But in addition to that, Melissa McIntosh has been outstanding Member here in Lindsay, she’s been delivering on the ground for the people of Lindsay and given, you've asked the question, I'm happy for her to give you the response about her achievements here in the local community.
Ms Melissa McIntosh MP, Federal Member for Lindsay: Thanks, Prime Minister. And thanks for the opportunity to talk about why I'm so passionate about my community and the things that we need to deliver. And that's why I ran initially for Parliament. It's about delivering jobs for people right across Western Sydney and standing in a local manufacturing factory here today, this is what it's about. Making sure we're at the heart of the new era of manufacturing. So many opportunities for people with Western Sydney Airport and it’s the Morrison government that’s made this investment into the airport. That will bring 28,000 jobs upon opening. These are local jobs for local people that currently have to commute out of Western Sydney every single day. We want our kids to live and work right here in Western Sydney. It's about delivering upgrades for our infrastructure. Dunheved Road, my community along with me fought for Dunheved Road during the last campaign. We had half the amount there during the campaign, we went out there again and fought for the full amount. $127 million dollars for the upgrade to Dunheved Road. So backing local infrastructure, backing local manufacturing, backing local jobs, that's what it is all about. That's why I'm so pleased and so proud to be representing my community of Lindsay, thank you.
Prime Minister: Thank you, Melissa. You’ve reminded me, and given you’ve asked the question, Western Sydney International Airport, the Nancy-Bird Walton Airport, this is a proud achievement of our government for Western Sydney. We fought for that. In government we're delivering it. It is 25% built. Now if you want a clear contrast between myself and the leader of the Labor Party, the Leader of the Opposition, Anthony Albanese, you can't find a better example than the Western Sydney Airport. He went into Parliament, one of the first things he said, he went in Parliament a long time ago, this was the biggest issue that he wanted to see happen. He went through Opposition, he became the Minister for Transport. He was there for six years and he didn't even dig a hole when it came to the building of Western Sydney Airport. It took a Liberal-National Government to achieve that. It took a Liberal-National Government with Liberal strong members here in Western Sydney to enable that to happen. That is happening now at a grand scale. The economic boom that's brought to Western Sydney has been truly remarkable and it will continue to be in the future. So, I think that sets out a lot as to why the Liberals and Nationals have proven themselves to be deliverers for Western Sydney.
Journalist: New South Wales has had the highest numbers of daily cases today. Is there a level of daily case numbers at which restrictions will start coming into use or do you think they're irrelevant now?
Prime Minister: We can't go back to lockdowns, we all know that. Right from the start of this pandemic, we have always sought to balance saving lives and saving livelihoods and we always must protect lives and livelihoods. That remains our goal, these two twin goals. So, yes, we must continue to listen carefully to the medical advice and we are doing that each and every day, but we are in a different phase of the pandemic. The fact that today I can stand here and tell you that right across the country, 90 per cent of our adult population is double-dose vaccinated, that more than a million Australians have had their booster shots and that number is growing every single day. That arms us to be able to deal with these new challenges. And so case numbers are no longer the metric. Case numbers are no longer the trigger or the indicator. Sure, they're important, but the real measure is what does it mean for serious illness, ICU, hospitalisation, pressures on the hospital system and the health system. More information will become clear about the severity of illness relating to Omicron, but so far, there is nothing to suggest it is certainly worse and a lot to suggest that it is less. We've been seeing thousands of cases a day now for weeks in Victoria and we've seen the Victorian health system stand up strongly, and we've been seeing the same thing here in New South Wales. Now they're taking proper precautions and they should, but what is important is we keep our heads, we keep calm, we keep open, we keep healthy, and we keep getting vaccinated, because that is how we chart our way forward. That is the path that the Commonwealth Government is certainly on and seeking to encourage everybody along that path. With that, I want to thank you all for being here today, it's great to be in a business, a manufacturing business in Western Sydney that’s putting people on, making things here in Western Sydney and getting things done.
And to everyone in Tasmania, and everyone in Devonport, our hearts are with you, our hearts are with you. Thank you, everyone.