Mr J. BULL (Sunbury) — My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Industry, and the action I seek is for the minister to visit Tullamarine in my electorate to attend a local industry and skills forum. Members will be well aware that Tullamarine is the gateway to Melbourne as the home of Melbourne international airport, and I see the member for Euroa is nodding her head. Melbourne Airport is vital to the local economy and a huge jobs generator both locally and across the state. Tullamarine boasts many fantastic freight, distribution and manufacturing industries, but, as at many other locations, businesses have been concerned about future jobs growth and the jobs market.

Just this week the Premier and the Minister for Industry launched the Towards Future Industries — Victoria’s Automotive Transition Plan at the Bosch manufacturing factory. This plan, as members know, delivers $46.5 million worth of programs to help automotive businesses transition to new markets, to help workers retrain and find sustainable jobs, and to help attract investment into communities impacted by the closure of car manufacturing. Features of the plan include a $5 million automotive supply chain transition program to help businesses identify and capture new opportunities in other markets; a $33 million Local Industry Fund for Transition to support communities hit hard by the departure of Ford, Holden and Toyota; $8.4 million to strengthen skills, training and job search support in Melbourne’s south-east; and up to $7000 in incentive payments for businesses employing retrenched automotive workers.

The member for Yuroke and I are aware of the industries in our area that are concerned about jobs growth and the jobs market. I would like the minister to join with me at a local forum to hear from small and medium businesses about the challenges they face and also the opportunities ahead of them in a changing market.