Ministers statements: manufacturing sector
Mr PAKULA (Keysborough—Minister for Industry Support and Recovery, Minister for Trade, Minister for Business Precincts, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Minister for Racing) (14:25): Manufacturing remains the cornerstone of our state’s economy. It supports 260 000 jobs; it has created more than $22 billion in exports. Since we have come to government the Andrews Labor government has provided over $180 million to support the sector. It has created more than 8000 jobs. It has generated almost $2 billion in private investment. That is why George Weston Foods are investing another $133 million across the state, moving their flour mill to Ballarat, creating 220 jobs. It is why Nissan Casting is expanding its plant in Dandenong, creating another 40 jobs. It is why Moderna is coming here to manufacture mRNA vaccines—and Moderna joins Seer Medical, 4DMedical, 3DMEDiTech, Planet Innovation and Seqirus in Victoria, putting our state at the forefront of medtech manufacturing. In defence, just this week I was at the Elbit Systems human and machine teaming centre of excellence and in April I was at SYPAQ opening their facility—both in our manufacturing hub at Fishermans Bend—with 280 jobs at SYPAQ, joining Boeing, Leonardo, Siemens in the defence sector down at Fishermans Bend.
This year there is another $120 million in the budget for the Victorian Industry Fund, including $40 million for the Victorian Industry Investment Fund; grants and support to the businesses in our manufacturing supply chain; and another $20 million for advanced manufacturing capability, including support for low-carbon manufacturing grants, including support for digital jobs in manufacturing internships and including further support for the Defence Science Institute and the defence industry workforce development program. Whether it is food or defence or medtech or automotive componentry—you name it—this state is the home of it, and it is because of the secure, well-paid and highly skilled jobs in that sector that we support it so strongly.