Prime minister Anthony Albanese has announced an ambitious plan to boost domestic manufacturing.
He also flagged a move to support a national range of initiatives which included boosting investment for renewables, providing certainty for businesses and making the country more competitive on the global stage.
At the Queensland Media Club on Thursday, Mr Albanese formally launched his government's vision and foreshadowed new legislation titled The Future Made in Australia Act, which he said would benefit everyone, "in cities and regions', and "reform that holds no-one back, progress that leaves no-one behind.
Mr Albanese did not go into details about how this plan would benefit the agricultural industry, people on the land or working in regional, rural and remote areas.
But he said he chose to make the announcement in Queensland, "because you have such a pivotal role to play in realising that vision and building that future".
"I'm here in Brisbane but our government's plan is about Gladstone and Mackay and Rockhampton and Townsville and Mount Isa and Cairns as well," he said.
"Because for Australia to seize the opportunities of the next decade, for our nation to generate the energy, skills, jobs, technology and investment that will power our future prosperity.
"We need every community in Queensland included, involved and empowered - cities, suburbs and regions alike."
Mr Albanese said the plan aimed to provide everyone everywhere, to be able to access high quality education and training for good secure jobs.
"We need Queenslanders everywhere breaking ground on new infrastructure, building new energy projects and mastering new technologies and we need Queenslanders everywhere, to be part of a new advanced manufacturing workforce," he said.
"Researching, designing, building and exporting value-added products to the world."
The prime minister said Queensland had always been a "great resources state", a great energy state - and a smart state - and would be at the forefront in helping the nation grow, industrialise and decarbonise, "and help the world achieve its net zero goals."
"Australia's largest solar farm, at Western Downs," Mr Albanese said.
"One of the biggest wind farms in the southern hemisphere near Warwick, backed by the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and the new pumped hydro near Gympie - and one of the biggest pumped hydro projects in the world, is planned for Mackay.
"Copperstring (is) running from Townsville to Mount Isa and connecting the North West Minerals Province to the National Energy Grid (and we are) making Gladstone a hydrogen hub and a global capital for green minerals."
While Mr Albanese did not go into details as to how this tax-payer funded incentives would be managed, he emphasised the proposed legislation would underpin the work of the new $1 billion Net Zero Authority which seeks to facilitate investment in a wide range of renewable and sustainable energy projects including to transfer and retrain workers from fossil fuel industries to this growing sector.
He also cited the US Inflation Reduction Act which comprised half a trillion US dollars in green energy incentives.
Mr Albanese warned Australian firms could fall into the pit many American microchip manufactures found themselves in after leading the world in computer technology, only to be eclipsed by other nations.
"We have the foresight to turn the dividends flowing from one wave of growth into surfing the opportunities of the next wave," he said.
"That's never been more important for Queensland and for Australia."
Share your thoughts on this issue. Contact Alison Paterson on 0437 861 082.
