The Morrison Government is launching a new era of Australian manufacturing, as part of our JobMaker Plan to rebuild the economy, create jobs in Bonner and recover from the COVID-19 recession.

The $1.5 billion Modern Manufacturing Strategy will make Australian manufacturers more competitive, resilient and able to scale-up to take on the world, while ensuring our nation is more secure.

“Our Modern Manufacturing Strategy is exciting news for the 513 local manufacturing businesses and the 4651 locals they employ,” Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said.

“Importantly, it will create new jobs in Bonner both now and into the future.”

Mr Vasta said the Government was charting a course to ensure manufacturers right across the country could seize the opportunities to grow into new and emerging local and global markets.

“Manufacturers are central to our economic recovery and they have capabilities that underpin so many other industries and support businesses in my electorate right along the supply chain,” Mr Vasta said.

“As a Government, we’re determined to play to our strengths and ensure we are strategically investing in areas where we have an edge.”

Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said this strategy draws on what we have learned during the COVID-19 crisis but has also been developed following extensive work with industry before the pandemic.

“Our manufacturers have risen to the challenge to deliver during COVID-19 and now, we’re unlocking their potential to deliver for our future,” Minister Andrews said.

“By playing to our strengths, strategically investing and boosting the role of science and technology in industry, we can open up new markets and take more of our quality products to the world.

“This Strategy sends a clear signal that not only is Australia open for business, but we mean business.”

The centrepiece of the Strategy is the $1.3 billion Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI), which will see the Government strategically invest in projects that help manufacturers to scale up and create jobs.

The MMI will support projects within six National Manufacturing Priorities;

• Resources technology and critical minerals processing
• Food and beverage
• Medical products
• Recycling and clean energy
• Defence
• Space

Industry will be engaged to help develop tailored road maps for each of the priority sectors.

The Strategy will also address the competitiveness of individual manufacturers in our priority sectors, with a $52.8 million expansion of the Manufacturing Modernisation Fund.

“At the last election we announced the Manufacturing Modernisation Fund, which has delivered support for 200 projects across the nation, including Crystalaid at Tingalpa, and I’m very pleased we are now expanding it to help more local businesses boost their production,” Mr Vasta said.

“There’s been a real groundswell of support for Australian-made recently because we all know buying Australian made supports local jobs.

“Our plan to scale up will mean more Australian made products on the shelves and more jobs in our local community.”

The COVID-19 crisis has also highlighted supply chain issues and opportunities. A $107.2 million Supply Chain Resilience Initiative will support projects that address an identified supply chain vulnerability.

Innovation and Science Australia will be repurposed as Industry Innovation and Science Australia, to provide strong industry advice to Government throughout the implementation of the Strategy.

This strategy builds on the work across Government to improve economic conditions for business, including streamlining regulation, cutting red tape and cutting input costs. A key part of that will be cutting energy costs as outlined in the Gas-fired recovery statement on 15 September 2020.

As part of its $800 million JobMaker Digital Business Plan, the Morrison Government is encouraging and supporting more Australian small businesses to digitise, so they can compete, succeed and create job opportunities as we emerge from the COVID-19 crisis.

This includes an expansion of the Australian Small Business Advisory Service (ASBAS) Digital Solutions program.

Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash said since its inception in 2018, the ASBAS Digital Solutions program has supported small businesses through low-cost, independent, expert and tailored advice to small businesses.

“The expansion of this service means a further 10,000 Australian businesses will be able to these services, enabling them to take advantage of emerging opportunities in the digital economy now and in the future,” Minister Cash said.

Businesses will be able to receive information and advice on:

• Websites and selling online.
• Social media and digital marketing.
• Using small business software.
• Online security and data privacy.
• Business crisis management and business continuity planning.
• Finance management and boosting cash flow.
• Staff management and creating a safe work environment.
• Retaining and staying connected to customers.
• Resilience and wellbeing.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said many businesses moved online quickly when the pandemic hit, undergoing a decade of change in months, finding new customers or new ways of doing things.

“Our JobMaker Digital Business Plan provides significant backing to continue that digital push and expand opportunities for businesses to grow and create more jobs,” Mr Vasta said.

The Australian Small Business Advisory Service – Digital Solutions program is available to small businesses with fewer than 20 full-time (or equivalent) employees, as well as sole traders.

The service is available across all metropolitan and regional areas.

Further information on accessing the program is available at business.gov.au or 13 28 46.

Australians will now benefit from a new one-stop-shop career information website with the launch of the ‘Your Career’ website.

The first release of the ‘Your Career’ website designed by the National Careers Institute will help people of all ages plan, navigate and manage their careers.

The website will serve as Australia’s authoritative source of careers information as part of the Australian Government’s priority to get people back in to work.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said as the nation deals with COVID-19 and the impact on the economy, it was important Australians had access to reliable and accurate labour market data, and information on the skilling or re-training options available to them.

“This website provides access to information about how to transfer their skills to jobs in demand, upskill, retrain or start a plan for longer-term goals,” Mr Vasta said.

“The ‘Your Career’ website delivers on that need because it is driven by world-leading labour market intelligence from the National Skills Commission.

“Australians can use this site to explore their future career options, or to look for options they can pursue now – either local employment opportunities, or short-term study options.”

Given the changing nature of the labour market, ‘Your Career’ will continue to evolve to enable all Australians to take the next step in their career using tailored careers information.

Key features of Your Career include:

• career quizzes to explore jobs that match a person’s skills, interests and goals
• information about study or training options to gain new skills, upskill, or reskill
• information to help with a successful job search including resumé writing
• links to support services to help find employment, manage wellbeing and understand rights at work, and
• an A to Z of occupations, including detailed career descriptions, pay and available jobs.

The ‘Your Career’ website can be found at www.YourCareer.gov.au

For more information about the National Careers Institute, visit www.nci.dese.gov.au

The Morrison Government will invest an additional $1.2 billion to support Australian businesses to employ 100,000 new apprentices and trainees as part of our COVID-19 economic recovery plan.

Starting 5 October 2020, businesses who take on a new Australian apprentice will be eligible for a 50 per cent wage subsidy, regardless of geographic location, occupation, industry or business size.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said apprenticeships and traineeships were an important pathway to get young people into jobs and to ensure there is a skills pipeline to meet the future needs of employers.

“During this pandemic the Federal Government has been focused on supporting and creating jobs as well as identifying the skills we need in the economic rebuild,” the Prime Minister said.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said whether it be manufacturing, housing and construction, arts or mining sectors – this new wage subsidy gave businesses certainty to hire and provides a career path to young school leavers or others looking for an apprenticeship or traineeship.

“This new wage subsidy will provide school leavers and job seekers in Bonner with a real opportunity to upskill and reskill through an apprenticeship or a traineeship,” Mr Vasta said.

The subsidy will be available to employers of any size or industry, Australia-wide who engage an Australian apprentice or trainee from 5 October 2020 until the 100,000 cap is reached.

Under the new measure, employers will be eligible for the wage subsidy for a new or recommencing apprentice or trainee for the period up to 30 September 2021, up to $7,000 per quarter.

Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash said the measure builds on the existing $2.8 billion Supporting Apprentices and Trainees wage subsidy that is helping employers to retain their apprentices and trainees.

“The Australian Government has already invested significantly to ensure that apprentices are retained where possible and supported to re-engage if they lose their job,” Minister Cash said.

Assistant Minister for Vocational Education, Training and Apprenticeships, the Hon Steve Irons MP, said the new measures we are announcing today will build on the already significant investment to support apprentices and trainees.

“Through the existing Supporting Apprentices and Trainees measure, as many as 90,000 businesses employing around 180,000 apprentices throughout Australia will continue to be supported,” Assistant Minister Irons said.

More information on the measure is available at www.employment.gov.au/boosting-apprenticeship-commencement

The Morrison Government will undertake the most significant reforms to Australia’s insolvency framework in 30 years as part of our economic recovery plan to keep businesses in business and Australians in jobs.

The reforms, which draw on key features from Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the United States, will help more small businesses restructure and survive the economic impact of COVID-19.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said the reforms would give more support to the region’s businesses that had been hit hard by the coronavirus.

“The Morrison Government is standing by small and family businesses and doing all we can to help make sure these businesses come out on the other side of this crisis,” Mr Vasta said.

“Along with early access to super, cash-flow boosts and JobKeeper, we are doing everything we can to keep family businesses up and running.”

As the economy continues to recover, it will be critical that distressed businesses have the necessary flexibility to either restructure or to wind down their operations in an orderly manner.

The reforms will assist incorporated businesses with less than $1 million in liabilities covering around 76 per cent of Australian businesses subject to insolvencies today, 98 per cent of which have less than 20 employees.

Together, these measures will reposition our insolvency system to reduce costs for small businesses, reduce the time they spend during the insolvency process, ensure greater economic dynamism, and ultimately help more local businesses get to the other side of the crisis.

Earlier this year the Morrison Government announced temporary regulatory measures to help financially distressed businesses get to the other side of COVID-19. On 7 September 2020 the Government announced a further extension of this relief to 31 December 2020.

The new processes will be available for small businesses from 1 January 2021.

Queensland school leavers and job seekers will benefit from increased access to free or low-fee skills training under a significant investment through the JobTrainer Agreement to be rolled out across Queensland.

Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash said strengthening Australia’s skills and training system was a priority as the nation responded to COVID-19.

The $1 billion JobTrainer program will provide up to an additional 340,700 training places across the country for school leavers and help upskill and retrain jobseekers in areas of demand.

“JobTrainer is central to Australia’s recovery from COVID-19. It will provide Australians with new opportunities and skills to get a job” Minister Cash said.

“It is a significant joint investment by the Commonwealth and State and Territory Governments.”

The Queensland agreement will inject an extra $201 million into the state’s vocational education and training sector.

The Australian Government will contribute $100.5 million, which will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Queensland Government.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said this was a fantastic result for Queensland which would greatly assist job seekers and young people, especially school leavers.

“The JobTrainer Fund will help lift Queensland as the state recovers from COVID-19,” Mr Vasta said.

“I have spoken to a lot of young people concerned about what the future holds and to provide more skills training opportunity will provide some certainty and confidence our economy will get back on track and there will be jobs for young people.”

Minister Cash said JobTrainer was part of the Australian Government’s $6.5 billion investment in Vocational Education and Training in 2020-21.

“As part of this investment the Commonwealth is also providing additional support with the Supporting Apprentices and Trainees (SAT) wage subsidy, which has provided more than $500 million to employers across Australia since April this year.

“As part of the SAT the Government has invested $102.89 million to assist 10,461 employers to retain 17,290 apprentices and trainees in Queensland.”

For more information about JobTrainer visit: https://www.dese.gov.au/jobtrainer-fund.

The Queensland Labor Government’s Band-Aid election commitment of $40 million to provide “accessibility improvements” to Lindum Station fails to address the dire safety situation of the level crossing and five-way intersection.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said the proposal ignored the $85 million delivered by the Federal Government and $40 million delivered by Brisbane City Council to provide a long-term solution to this dangerous level crossing.

“We have had this funding on the table since 2018 to deliver a major improvement to the notorious level crossing at Lindum Station, yet Queensland Labor has created this smoke and mirrors election commitment to improve passenger accessibility to the station,” Mr Vasta said.

“This is an appalling response after our $85 million commitment.”

Mr Vasta said the brochure released by the Department of Transport and Main Roads this week declared a long-term safety solution may not even happen.

“I’m so disappointed by this latest update,” Mr Vasta said.

“They have basically said “here will chuck in some traffic lights to keep you happy” and say a long-term solution is subject to “state-wide prioritisation and funding availability”.

“In other words, it may not even happen if the state doesn’t prioritise it.

“How many more people have to die before the Queensland Labor Government commits to funding a long-term safety solution to Lindum crossing?”

Mr Vasta said traffic was only getting busier and he would not settle for meaningless cosmetic upgrades which is all the Queensland Labor Government is offering.

“Pedestrians, motorists and commuters had been crying out for major improvements to the dangerous level-crossing and five-way intersection and again they miss out,” Mr Vasta said.

“When I delivered $85 million Federal funding for Lindum Crossing, it was to deliver a long-term, safe solution for all road users in partnership with all levels of government.

“Labor’s $40 million for “accessibility upgrades” is nothing but a distraction from the fact that they won’t commit what’s needed to fix Lindum crossing.”

Mr Vasta said to make matters worse, they had tied in a 2017 election commitment with this one and packaged it up as a new deal – ignoring the fact they failed to deliver on a $5 million parking upgrade announced three years ago.

“Queensland Labor has done nothing for this region and given they couldn’t even deliver a $5 million parking upgrade; will this $40 million project even get off the ground?”

Nominations are now open to find Bonner’s Local Legends – the people in our community who have gone above and beyond during COVID-19 to help others.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said the global coronavirus pandemic had brought out the best in people and he wanted to hear from the community with stories of selfless acts of kindness.

“We want to recognise our local legends,” Mr Vasta said.

“We’ve heard incredible stories of teachers going above and beyond during distance learning, frontline workers putting others first and businesses donating meals to those who had fallen on tough times.

“We’ve seen community kindness such as notes to the neighbours to see if they need help with groceries or instigating the teddy bear hunt to keep kids occupied.

“Even at our local shops we’ve seen assistants provide as much support as possible, whilst also dealing with stressful restrictions and challenging customers.

“I know there’s many more and that’s why I need your help to find them.”

Mr Vasta called on the Bonner community to come forward and share stories of someone’s selfless actions.

“Maybe you have been at the receiving end of a kind act and this could be a way to repay their good deed,” Mr Vasta said.

“If you know someone who has stepped up during COVID to help their family, friends, neighbours or even total strangers, head to my website and nominate them for the Bonner Local Legend.

“Teachers, doctors, nurses, retail staff, local charities and volunteers, this is a chance to say thank you and give them a big shout out.”

Nominations open September 16 and close Friday, October 16.

Visit www.rossvasta.com.au to nominate a Bonner Local Legend.

The Morrison Government is taking action to secure Australia’s long-term fuel supply, keep prices low for consumers and create over 1000 new jobs through a new domestic fuel security package.

As part of our 2020-21 Budget, the Government will deliver a $211 million investment in new domestic diesel storage facilities, reforms to create a minimum onshore stockholding, and measures to support local refineries.

This will be delivered through a combined market and regulatory framework, with three key elements:

• Investing $200 million in a competitive grants program to build an additional 780ML of onshore diesel storage
• Creating a minimum stockholding obligation for key transport fuels; and
• Backing the refining sector by entering into a detailed market design process for a refinery production payment.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia’s fuel security was essential for our national security and that we had been fortunate to not have experienced a significant fuel supply shock in over 40 years.

“Our positive changes to the fuel market will ensure Australian families and businesses can access the fuel they need, when they need it, for the lowest possible price,” the Prime Minister said.

“Fuel security underpins our entire economy. Not only does it keep Australia moving, the industry supports thousands of people across the country and this plan is also about helping keep them in work.

“Like all sectors of the economy, the COVID-19 pandemic is having an impact on Australia’s fuel industry. The events of 2020 have reminded us that we cannot be complacent. We need a sovereign fuel supply to shield us from potential shocks in the future.”

Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor said the Government recognised that Australian refineries are under significant financial pressure and is committed to working with the sector to ensure it has a long-term future.

“Almost all Australians are reliant on fuel and it is the lifeblood of so many sectors in our economy. Our farmers and miners rely heavily on diesel to do their jobs and provide services, while the transport sector sources 98 per cent of its energy from liquid fuels,” Minister Taylor said.

“That’s why it is critical that Australia has control over its fuel security arrangements and the Government is making sure of that.”

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said the construction of additional diesel storage would not only secure our diesel supplies but support up to 950 jobs, along with 75 new ongoing jobs, many in regional areas.

“Supporting our refineries will ensure Australia has the sovereign capability it needs for any event, protect families and businesses from higher prices and support thousands of jobs across the economy as we recover from COVID-19,” Mr Vasta said.

A minimum stockholding obligation will act as a safety net for petrol and jet fuel stocks, and increasing diesel stockholdings by 40 per cent.

The Government will work with industry over the next six months on the legislative and regulatory design of the package.

Refineries play an important role in securing Australia’s fuel security and putting downward pressure on fuel prices for consumers. Modelling has shown that a domestic refinery capability is worth around $4.9 billion (over 10 years) in value to Australian consumers in the form of price suppression.

The Government is committed to a sovereign on-shore refinery capacity. We will design a market system for a production payment that recognises the fuel security benefits Australia’s refinery sector provides. It will protect Australian families and businesses from the around 1 cent per litre increase that modelling shows will hit fuel if all refineries close in Australia. For refineries to receive support, they will be required to commit to stay operating in Australia.

The Government recognises that the future refining sector in Australia will not look like the past. However, this framework will protect Australian families and businesses from higher prices and will secure jobs in the fuel sector and in fuel-dependent industries, such as our farmers, truckers, miners and tradies.

Additional measures will also be introduced to reduce the burden on industry and improve fuel market information.

This includes modernising the online fuel reporting system to make it easier for industry to report stock levels to Government and improve the timeliness of data. The Government will also remove the application fees for fuel standard variation requests.

This domestically-focused package builds on Government action to purchase up to $94 million of crude oil at record low global prices to be stored in the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve for access during a global emergency.

Funding is now available for Ex-Service Organisations and other local community groups to host an event during Veterans’ Health Week this year to encourage veterans and their families to stay connected.

Veterans’ Health Week will be held from 24 October to 1 November 2020 and the theme is Social Connection.

Local community and ex-service organisations can apply for $720 in funding to support their local veteran community with a creative social activity, within their local restrictions.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said the funding would help veterans to stay socially connected with their community through innovative event ideas such as meditation or yoga sessions, local catch-ups and creative workshops, all in-person or virtually.

“I encourage local organisations in Bonner to apply and host a Veterans’ Health Week event so we can keep our community spirits high while we face the coronavirus pandemic,” Mr Vasta said.

“From fitness challenges to zoom catch-ups or even a COVID Safe catch-up, there’s many ways we can still connect and support each other.”

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester said the global coronavirus pandemic had made it difficult for many people to physically see each other and finding ways to socially connect with one another was now more important than ever, particularly for the ex-service community.

“Social connection is one of the most important aspects for your mental health and wellbeing, and as part of Veterans’ Health Week this year we are encouraging those in the ex-service community to remain socially connected, with family, friends and local community,” Mr Chester said.

“This year we invite our local organisations to come up with more innovative ideas for hosting events and create new opportunities to connect, either in person where possible or virtually.”

For more information on Veterans’ Health Week visit the Veterans’ Health Week page on the DVA website.

You can also call 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372) or email vhw@dva.gov.au.

Applications for funding close 9 October 2020.

Applicants must be aware of local state or territory Coronavirus restrictions that are in place and ensure their event is following all Coronavirus guidelines.