QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator AYRES (New South Wales—Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science) (15:30): Well, there's a difference between real action and cheap political slogans. There is a real difference between real support for businesses like the Mount Isa smelter, the Port Pirie lead smelter, the Hobart zinc smelter and Whyalla steel, billions of dollars worth of support for the Boyne aluminium smelter, working hard in every industrial area— Senator Colbeck interjecting— Senator AYRES: including, as Senator Colbeck points out, in north-east Tasmania.

We have been working hard, as a government, with real businesses. And what do we see over there? Mr Hastie's Insta posts.

I don't want to reflect on whether or not people turn up here, but Insta posts are not a substitute for a complete lack of industrial policy. All that Mr Hastie has contributed is imported ideas that, if implemented, would export Australian jobs. This is a party that has lost its way completely and doesn't really know anymore what it really stands for.

The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Minister Ayres. Senator Wong: I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.