HELPING CHRISTOPHER PYNE FIND THE ILLAWARRA

02 December 2015

The people of the Illawarra are frustrated with the smug indifference of the Coalition Government.

Wally.jpg

This frustration was reflected on the front page of the Illawarra Mercury today *holds up front page of Illawarra Mercury*.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! The member knows he should not use props.

Mr STEPHEN JONES: You will see, Deputy Speaker, that there is only one Wally in this photo.

On 26 October this year, over 20 people travelled from Wollongong to Sydney to talk to the Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Christopher Pyne, about the state of crisis in the Australian steel industry.

Many were very curious about why we were making the trip from Wollongong to Sydney, but we played along with it because the issue was too important to quibble over.

We now know why the meeting was held in Sydneybecause he has not got a clue where the Illawarra is! I brought along a map today to help the minister find out where the Illawarra is *holds up map of Australia with the Illawarra highlighted in red*

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! The member will put the prop down.

Mr STEPHEN JONES: In his travels, he might like to come to Wollongong to do something for the state of the industry in the Illawarra.

I have some facts for the Minister.

The Illawarra is home to the biggest steel producer in Australia, and we are very proud of it.

It is home to a fantastic university, which this Minister cut millions of dollars out of in his last round of budget cuts.

It is a place full of honest, hardworking people who just want a fair go from this Government.

On behalf of the thousands of people who are today looking for a job in the Illawarra, we are calling on this minister to do his job.