The National Party’s Backbench Policy Committee released its Manufacturing 2035 plan on Tuesday. The plan outlines the National Party’s vision for the manufacturing industry and a broad policy platform to help encourage industry growth. The paper outlines a 9-point plan with the goal to double the employment in Australian manufacturing, to counter the trend of continuing employment stagnation in the industry. Employment in manufacturing has dropped from its peak employment of almost 1.2 million Australians in the 1990s, down to a new record low of fewer than 850,000. Read more

The Nationals Senate team has condemned the Greens for failing to back Australian agriculture and our world-leading live animal export industry. In opposing a Nationals motion backing Australia’s commitment and support for the $1.7 billion live animal export trade, The Greens thumbed their nose at the thousands of rural and regional Australians who rely on the industry Read more

The Labor Party has been exposed on its failure to support much-needed regional jobs in Queensland at the Acland mine. Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia Keith Pitt commended the strong show of support in the Senate from the Liberal National Government for the New Hope Group’s expansion of the Acland mine, in a parliamentary vote which also called on the Queensland Government to end the delays and approve the mine expansion now. Read more

Nearly 9 years to the day since the Labor Government’s blanket ban on live cattle export to Indonesia, cattle producers in the Northern Territory have finally had their win in court. On 7 June, 2011, the then Agriculture Minister, Joe Ludwig, signed a blanket ban on live cattle exports to Indonesia.  This was after a week of uncertainty for producers following a Four Corners report and suspensions of exports to 12 Indonesian abattoirs. Read more

I congratulate Michael McCormack on his re-election as Leader of the Nationals and David Littleproud on his election as Deputy Leader of the Nationals. Read more

This evening I have spoken to the Deputy Prime Minister offering my resignation as the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia pending a ballot for leadership positions of the Nationals party tomorrow morning. Read more

After a consultation and technical assessment process spanning more than four years, Napandee in Kimba, South Australia has been identified to host Australia’s National Radioactive Waste Management Facility. Read more

A comprehensive review of the Australian Domestic Gas Security Mechanism (ADGSM) has found it has helped lower domestic gas prices while contributing to more secure gas supplies for Australian consumers. The Liberal/Nationals Government introduced the ADGSM in July 2017 to help guarantee domestic gas supplies with forecast shortages caused by growing exports and reduced production from gas fields offshore from Victoria. Read more

Australia’s new Critical Minerals Facilitation Office is open for business and ready to support the development and growth of our critical minerals sector. Read more

Using hydrogen as a clean, affordable and sustainable source of energy is another step closer after Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Matt Canavan signed a joint statement of cooperation with Japan today. Read more