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Regional Manufacturing

Published on: June 2022

Record: HANSARD-1323879322-125413

Regional Manufacturing

Mr JUSTIN CLANCY (Albury) (19:38:16):

"The rumours of the demise of the US manufacturing industry are greatly exaggerated." This quote is attributed to Elon Musk, and it is a reminder that manufacturing in regional New South Wales suffers at times from the same gross and ignorant caricature. As I cross the electorate of Albury, I see the strength of our local regional manufacturing sector. From Howlong's Cool Off to Albury's Geofabrics and Albury Precision Engineering, it is a diverse, highly motivated portfolio of manufacturing businesses. Its burden is not a lack of success—many of these businesses already ship to major markets—but an ongoing risk that their needs and their capabilities might be left out of government planning decisions that focus on the Greater Sydney urban cluster. In New South Wales the Aerotropolis and Tech Central are underway in Sydney, demonstrating new ways for Government to facilitate the flourishing of private business through industry concentration in specific locations. This in turn provides a focus for government support to get things moving faster. I applaud the Government for its focus on manufacturing for New South Wales. Regional New South Wales wants to share in this new era.

NSW advanced manufacturing industry developmentstrategy

We are following a line here. In 2018 New South Wales released the to set out its objectives and practical initiatives to grow the sector, build the capability of businesses and continue to foster a supportive external business environment in the State. The strategy builds on the NSW Manufacturing Industry Action Plan 2012 and on the Commonwealth Government's Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre. Currently underway, the New South Wales Modern Manufacturing Taskforce, chaired by Tony Shepherd, AO, will report to the Government in the next few weeks with the results of its review. In my view, it is fundamentally critical that any such review incorporates a regional lens.

I reached out to Mr Shepherd, and it was pleasing to see his enthusiasm to meet some of Albury's manufacturing businesses and representatives of organisations which support them. A major part of the session held with Mr Shepherd involved making clear that regional manufacturers have a substantial role to play and have needs within the broader State planning for advanced manufacturing. Through a solutions‑based discussion a number of key topics were raised, including procurement and supply chain issues; workforce; education and automation; connection with the tertiary sector; identifying markets and opportunities; and a concierge service for manufacturers to access knowledge, research, skills, funding opportunities and more.

Job creation and retention presents a real challenge regionally. Employers need to be able to offer skilled, valuable work for more than just two years or the life of a current project. Manufacturers tell me they must offer skilled staff a seven‑ to 10‑year window. Are we having to attract skilled staff from outside the region, or can we grow our own talent? Can we develop regional centres of excellence and gain a reputation for advanced manufacturing from the regions? Can we have an eye on planning reforms that will see development application turnaround for small and medium‑sized enterprises equal to the deal that big businesses enjoy?

One strong message from the taskforce chair was the importance of not just looking at the manufacturing ecosystem from a State perspective but from a national perspective. Another powerful point was the idea of updating the critical term "value" in government funding and support programs. We must incorporate the value of regional manufacturing activity, its economies and lower overheads, the employment it generates, and the rich array of skills, experience and entrepreneurship it offers the State. Albury is developing its unique manufacturing ecosystem, and this development can be accelerated through appropriate government support, helping drive advanced manufacturing success for the State while fulfilling a central workplace role in the Albury region.

Transport options are strong in Albury. As well as a modern airport, Albury has a rail hub at Ettamogah. We have an active council, which has taken a leading role in providing for industry expansion. We have manufacturers that are aware of the value of supporting each other, sharing knowledge and looking to grow the sector and its capabilities for the benefit of all. This is all part of building a flexible, fast‑adapting regional advanced manufacturing ecosystem centred on cities like Albury, creating economic value for communities and for the nation. I thank Tony Shepherd and those in the Albury region who are engaged with me in productive discussion about how to work better and smarter as a manufacturing sector. I encourage the Government to continue to visit Albury and see the strengths and capabilities of our manufacturing ecosystem.

Mr TIM CRAKANTHORP (Newcastle) (19:43:25):

In a fortnight the New South Wales Government will deliver its last budget before it becomes the New South Wales Opposition. But that is no reason to be conservative. Go big before you go home! I would love to be able to say, "Wow, what a great budget! You've really delivered for Newcastle." It has been clear throughout the past month or so that the Government has realised that there is an election around the corner and that it is about time it actually did something. After a decade of slash and burn, it has realised that TAFE is actually valuable. After months of pressure from the Opposition, it has seen that tolls are a huge expense for people in western Sydney. And it is now trying to placate the unions and public service workers with a slight rise to the wage cap—although I note that, in real terms, it is still a wage cut.

When we talk about what is next for Newcastle, though, it is the Broadmeadow area. It is the home of the Hunter Park development, and it is right on the preferred route for the extension of the light rail. But for Broadmeadow to move ahead we need two things: firstly, corridor preservation for the light rail route; and secondly, to actually get moving on Hunter Park. Unfortunately, even though Transport for NSW sent me correspondence suggesting otherwise, there has been next to no movement on securing the land needed for that light rail extension. There are development applications going on now that are smack bang on the preferred route. Despite this being drawn to the attention of Transport for NSW on more than one occasion, developers are in there right now, sweeping out the tumbleweed. Meanwhile, after years of having little to show for a flashy announcement, last year there was finally a step forward on Hunter Park, with money for the business case. That is something, but it took four years of pushing to get to that stage. At that glacial pace, how long will it be before we see real movement on the ground?

While we are looking to take one suburb to a new level, there is one that we desperately need to save. There has been progress towards a solution for erosion at Stockton Beach, but talk needs to become action. The Government has previously contributed to progressing work in Stockton and I would more than welcome another commitment. So let's work with council and get that moving. Another suburb that has spent a long time waiting is Hexham, which would sorely love to be connected to the Hunter Water sewer network. There are not even 100 houses out there, but despite hundreds of millions of dollars in dividends going down to Sydney from Hunter Water over many years, the people of Hexham are still waiting for that basic infrastructure.

What should be more than abundantly clear by now is that what the Government has invested in social and affordable housing is not even the tip of the iceberg, and what is being constructed is not replacing what has been sold. What we are seeing in Newcastle is three‑ and four‑bedroom houses in suburbs like Stockton, which command quite a high property price, being flogged off while apartment blocks full of one‑ and two‑bedroom apartments get thrown up out in Newcastle's western suburbs, further away from services, further away from public transport connections and where the land is a little—or a lot—cheaper. That is how the Government pumps up its numbers, but the number of properties is not the same as the number of bedrooms.

If a mother flees domestic violence with her children, is a one‑bedroom apartment really suitable for them? That is rhetorical, because we all know that it is not. Inner‑city Newcastle has been an absolute bonanza for developers constructing thousands of new apartments, but it is people from higher socio‑economic groups who are benefiting from this, not the people who really need it. There are 50,000 applicants on the social housing waitlist in this State and almost 6,000 of those are considered to be priority. Of those applicants, 1,350 are in Newcastle. That number is higher than the year before, I might add. Piecemeal developments are not going to cut it. We need a large‑scale plan with funding and follow‑through to get on top of the housing crisis in this State.

Ms FELICITY WILSON (North Shore) (19:48:30):

I acknowledge the member for Newcastle's contribution and the irony of him talking about the extension of a light rail that he opposed throughout his career. In fact, I recall him getting on the heavy rail and protesting against it ending at Wallsend. The arrogance of a member coming into this place and accusing and abusing the Liberal‑Nationals Government, which invested more in Newcastle and the Hunter region in its first few years in government than the Labor Government ever did in 16 years! I think it is pretty concerning that the member for Newcastle does not remember opposing light rail time and time again.

Ms Jodie Harrison:

Keep an eye on us. Keep loving us.

Ms FELICITY WILSON:

We have ripped up heavy rail in Newcastle. We have opened up Newcastle. Being from the Hunter myself, I have spent plenty of time in Newcastle—so, thanks, member for Charlestown. Members opposite show hypocrisy in not recognising the significant investments of this Government. If we put our record in the Hunter against the record of those opposite, we would win every single day of the week.