Labor announced earlier this week that it will invest up to $100 million in a national network of manufacturing centres to help foster innovation for small and medium sized businesses.
The federal opposition leader Kevin Rudd told the Australian Industry Group’s National Forum 2007 in Canberra that a national network would provide a way forward to provide practical assistance for Australian’s manufacturers.
Rudd said it was hoped that up to 3,000 manufacturing businesses would benefit from the program each year. He said it would better enable businesses to become more productive, improve their ability to compete in the global market, and able to take advantage of new business opportunities arising from the challenge of climate change.
“It will help businesses succeed in creating jobs for our kids. “Centres will be established in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Tasmania,” he said.
Rudd said he did not want to be a prime minister of a country that no longer made things.
“We believe we have concrete plans for the country’s future,” he explained.
“Whether it is an industry policy, or more broadly across what we do on the investment and eduction, skills and training, investment and infrastructure and … insuring the regulatory environment is the most appropriate for businesses to turn profit and employ more people.”
Rudd also commented that he looked forward to working with the Ai Group in the future, “to turn those plans into reality should we be elected to form the next government of this country.”