The economic cost to consumers of protecting manufacturing industry is justified by the social benefits, more Australian jobs and less Australian debt. Australia is resource rich. We should be leading world technology, not selling our intellectual resources overseas where multinational companies can exploit them with minimal benefits for Australians. The protection of our workers' entitlements is very important, and I am pleased to see that the government and the opposition are now taking this matter seriously. However, it was not until Pauline Hanson released her policy to protect workers' entitlements in 1998 that Labor or the coalition displayed an enthusiasm to fix this most serious problem.
Inland tourism is an industry with fantastic potential to be developed.
For too long Australian promotions have concentrated on the eastern seaboard. The Australian outback is beautiful, and I will be doing my best to ensure that we promote the western side of the Great Divide to tourists and overseas visitors as well as the eastern seaboard. Small businesses are doing it tough for a variety of reasons, but our unfair dismissal laws are adding to the problem. Unfair dismissal legislation as it presently stands is a disincentive to increasing small business employment, and I would like to work with the government to help our small business operators achieve their full potential. There is a place for unions in Australia to protect the workers' rights.