Future Made in Australia (Production Tax Credits and Other Measures) Bill 2024

Senator DEAN SMITH (Western Australia) (19:42): I think it's just worth noting that the party that I represent, the Liberal Party, is in fact the party of development in Western Australia. It's the home of people like Sir Ross McLarty, Sir David Brand, Sir Charles Court, later Richard Court and Colin Barnett. So the Liberal Party's legacy in terms of pro-industrial development and indeed downstream processing in Western Australia is that it's owned by us; it's not owned by the Labor Party.

But, just to go to your point, Senator Ayres—in your opening remarks you again talked about Australia's security interest. You talked about the rapidly changing geopolitics in some of your earlier remarks. If the international environment and security considerations are so paramount, why is it that this tax credit is not available for two years?