In an effort to help the national economic recovery, a new ad campaign has been launched to encourage Australians to support Australian Made products by joining the ‘Aussie-made Club.’

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said buying Australian-made products whenever possible was a practical way to back local producers and manufacturers.

“The best way to do this is visit the Australian Made website and literally joint the club,” Mr Vasta said.

“It’s free, you get offers and discounts, and it helps you identify a range of Australian-made products to support.

“When you buy Australian Made, you’re not only helping the local small businesses, but the flow on effect means you’re supporting Australian manufacturers and their supply chains from farmers to designers and more.”

Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said the new ad campaign reflected the ground-swell of community support for Australian products.

“As a country we’ve rallied together to slow the spread of coronavirus, now we need to pull together to back our local businesses and manufacturers,” Minister Andrews said.

“Australians are the first to put up their hand to help in a crisis and as we look to navigate the economic impacts of coronavirus the simplest thing we can do to help is to buy Australian.”

Australian Made Campaign Limited CEO Ben Lazzaro said the campaign was designed to build on the huge grass-roots movement spawned by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our website is attracting more than 250,000 visitors a month – a 130% increase on normal and our social media audience has grown ten-fold since the beginning of this pandemic,” Mr Lazzaro said.

“Australian brands are also seeing the value in using our logo, with a four-fold increase in applications and a doubling in new licensees.”

The new ad campaign comes after the Morrison Government earlier this year committed $5 million to expand the reach of the Australian Made logo, so our manufacturers could take on new markets around the world.

For more information or to join the Aussie-made club, visit www.australianmade.com.au

The Morrison Government has invested $20 million as part of round 8 of the Cooperative Research Centres Project (CRC-Ps) to help businesses reduce their plastic waste, boost recycling initiatives and build a sustainable environment through job creating projects.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said these projects are driving Australia’s waste-recycling industry forward.

“There are nine projects in this round which will see Australia reduce its plastic waste and boost plastic recycling,” Mr Vasta said.

“By working with the waste and recycling industries, we believe the CRC-P grants will help foster innovative ideas that will help boost and strengthen our environment and economy.

“We have seen $289 million committed to CRC-Ps since 2016 as part of the Morrison Government’s commitment to strengthening Australian industry and create 1.25 million jobs in the next five years.”

Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews MP said the projects showed the great economic opportunities in waste recycling.

“Not only are these new projects ensuring Australia’s environmentally sustainable future, they are also creating further opportunities for new jobs,” Minister Andrews said.

“This funding will support Australian businesses and researches as they forge new markets to limit the use of plastics and create recycled products.”

Applications for Round 9 of the CRC-P grants open February 13. For more information visit www.business.gov.au/crc-p

The proportion of working-age Australians receiving welfare benefits has fallen to its lowest level in more than 30 years.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said the Department of Social Services analysis of recently released Australian Bureau of Statistics population data showed 13.5 per cent of the working-age population was receiving working‑age income support payments at June 2019.

“This is a drop from the previous year’s level of 14.3 per cent and marks a significant reduction over the past decade when in 2009 the proportion of working-age Australians relying on welfare was 17.2 per cent,” Mr Vasta said.

“The data shows our Government’s commitment to building a stronger economy is creating more jobs for Australians.”

Minister for Families and Social Services Anne Ruston said these figures showed the Morrison Government’s plan to provide pathways from welfare to employment were working.

“We are focussed on growing the economy, getting more people into work, and delivering well-targeted social security funded through a strong budget,” Minister Ruston said.

“More than 1.5 million jobs have been created since the Coalition was elected. As more people find employment we are seeing a fall in the number of working-age Australians on welfare.”

In 2019-20 the Government is forecast to spend $180 billion on social security and welfare – about one in every three dollars of taxpayer money spent.

“The safety net our social security system provides is vital to support the most vulnerable among us is which is why it is crucial that the system remains sustainable,” Minister Ruston said.

I rise to speak on the motion moved by the Member for Forde. And what a good motion it is—more good news for our economy and more jobs created under the Coalition government’s strong economic management. Since coming to government in 2013 we’ve created a million jobs and counting. Now with economic growth and jobs growth exceeding expectations, while this continues we can expect a lift in wages growth, in the words of the RBA Governor.

Jobs and wage growth are my constituents’ number one concern. What are we doing to create more jobs, they ask. Those who are putting in the hours at work, they’re still struggling to meet rising power prices and cost of living. So I’m pleased to tell them under the Coalition, unemployment is at its lowest rate since 2012. Last year we created over 400,000 jobs. Three quarters of these were full time jobs.

Compare that to the previous Labor government. They averaged less than 150,000 new jobs each year. And when they left office, unemployment was going up—they were losing full time jobs!

In my electorate the effects of our booming economy have been clear. I have to thank the Member for Forde for one project that has been a boon for local jobs. He started the fight for funding to upgrade the M1. It was great to work with him and my Queensland colleagues to secure $1 billion for these vital upgrades. Not only will these upgrades reduce peak hour congestion, getting people to work sooner and safer, they will also support up to 450 local jobs. A double win for the local economy!

Another jobs-generating, congestion-busting project that’s now underway in my electorate is the upgrade of the Green Camp Corridor. I’ve enjoyed seeing construction start on this much-needed project. And then there’s the $300 million Brisbane Metro project, which is now in the expression of interest phase. Another example of this government’s commitment to invest in vital infrastructure while creating local jobs.

There are many more small-scale projects in my electorate this government has invested in that will provide a boost for the local economy and local employment. I’m seeing the benefits firsthand and I fully support this motion and this government’s commitment to strong economic growth.