ABC 936 HOBART
TIM COX - STATEWIDE MORNINGS
KIM CARR JOINS THE PROGRAM TO OUTLINE THE $4.5M PACKAGE FOR SCOTTSDALE WHICH HE UNVEILED YESTERDAY. COX MENTIONS CRITICISM THAT THE MONEY IS JUST A REPACKAGING OF MONEY THAT WAS ALREADY ON OFFER. CARR SAYS HE HAS NOT HEARD THE CRITICISM AND SAYS HE WOULD BE SURPRISED AT CRITICISM OF AN ATTEMPT TO SECURE LONG TERM ECONOMIC BENEFITS FOR THE REGION.
TIM COX: First of all, to that four and a half million dollar package for Scottsdale which the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Kim Carr, was unveiling yesterday.
Senator Carr is with us. Minister, good morning.
KIM CARR: Good morning.
TIM COX: There are criticisms - I don't know if these were made to you yesterday or not by the mayor, Peter Partridge, from whom I'm hoping to hear this morning, that this, in fact, is not very new money. This is just a re-packaging of money that was already on offer.
KIM CARR: Well, there was no criticism from the mayor about the package. The support we received from the local community was very strong. In fact, we were applauded for the package. The packaging allows the Commonwealth to work in partnership with the State Government and local government, regional development authorities, to provide new employment opportunities and, possibly, depending on the quality of the applications that come forward, to the tune of between two and 300 jobs.
These are jobs that we believe will be high skilled, high wage, quality opportunities for workers in the northeast of Tasmania. So, I'd be very surprised if anyone would be critical of an attempt to actually achieve that outcome which will have long term economic benefits for the region.
TIM COX: He's quoted in The Examiner newspaper, the Launceston Daily today, saying this is not new money as far as we're concerned, it's $2 million from the AusIndustry money. The other had been earmarked for Musselroe. Make no mistake, we'll still be pursuing these projects. I have no concern that this will affect the viability of the Musselroe development.
KIM CARR: Oh! Well, of course he'd say that and that's the facts. The facts are that Jodie Campbell went to bat on behalf of the region to ensure that the money, which otherwise would have gone to consolidated revenue from the Auspine contract, and also to ensure that money that had been sitting there for a road which was not being spent, and was unlikely to be spent - in the immediate future, was put to work now.
We've got a situation where people, workers in the community, have a need which needs to be responded to by their government and by their communities now. We cannot rely upon loose and empty promises, which were made by the previous government on a highly conditional basis, without consultation with other levels of government, and say, well, there's been a lost opportunity. The fact is the money was sitting there, not being used, and is now being used for proper purposes to ensure the economic prosperity of the region.
TIM COX: How specifically, Minister, do you see that occurring? I mean, $4.5 million is a lot of money to a region like this in our state. How do you believe it will create something new?
KIM CARR: Well, it's part of a broader package, a whole new approach to a national innovation strategy. And just as we provided $2 million to ACL Bearings in Launceston earlier this year, where we had 285 highly skilled workers faced with immediate dismissal as a result of a company closure, which in turn would have led to the shut down of the Australian automotive industry, we redirected money to that purpose.
That provides ongoing employment and very, very important economic opportunities for the rest of the country. We're also providing support through the opening of a new Enterprise Connect manufacturing centre in Burnie, some $12 million being provided for that exercise. We're also providing access to a new Enterprise Connect Innovative Region centre, which also assists regional innovators in the region.
The whole point here is this. We need to look to the long term. We need to ensure that regions, such as the northeast of Tasmania, are able to access the prosperity that this country has. There are too many people in this country that believe that we should all move to the beaches of Broome and that's the only way we'll be able to make a quid.
My view is that people are entitled to enjoy the prosperity this country enjoys and we're about providing high skilled, high wage jobs, working with private industry to ensure we have innovative solutions to the problems being faced by our society.
TIM COX: Appreciate your time this morning, Minister. Thank you.
KIM CARR: Thank you.
TIM COX: That's Kim Carr, the Innovation, Industry, Science and Research Minister, who was in Scottsdale yesterday announcing that $4.5 million package.