Ms MARYANNE STUART (Heathcote) (12:00): My question is addressed to the Minister for Industry and Trade. Will the Minister please update the House on the importance of New South Wales maintaining strong global trade relationships?

Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG (Macquarie Fields—Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology, Minister for Building, and Minister for Corrections) (12:00): I thank the member for Heathcote for her question and her continued advocacy for her community and for industry and manufacturers across the State. The Government is on a mission to ensure that our global trade relationships are worthy of our State's flagship economy. When trade relationships are strong, our businesses grow, our workers thrive and our State flourishes. I was pleased and encouraged by the phone call yesterday between the Prime Minister and the President of the United States to discuss his proposed 25 per cent tariffs on aluminium and steel, and the fact that he is giving great consideration to exempting Australia from his tariffs.

The SPEAKER: I call the member for Tweed to order for the first time.

Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG: While there have been conflicting reports today, I note that the President has stated that America has a trade surplus with Australia. We indeed are a land far away and buy a lot of their aeroplanes. New South Wales is a competitive, fair-trading economy, and the trade across all of our goods and services is founded upon the principle of mutual benefit. That is why I am pleased to advise the House that our Government has been in regular contact with our Federal colleagues about those matters for quite some time. The issue was discussed as far back as last year in preparation for a potential Trump administration. We are well prepared and will take a measured and mature approach when it comes to engaging in trading relationships.

I have written to and spoken with my Federal counterpart, Senator the Hon. Don Farrell, about the proposed tariffs and the subsequent threat of dumping measures on our industry. I have said that New South Wales stands ready to assist and lend support to ensure that our State's steel exporters, like BlueScope in the Illawarra, and our aluminium exporters, like Tomago in the Hunter, will continue to thrive. We have been working, and will continue to work, very closely with our Federal colleagues because the Labor Government knows the value of the manufacturing industry to our State. I only wish those opposite knew it too. When they were last in government, manufacturing in New South Wales grew in only two of the 10 years from 2011. That was their high watermark. In contrast, I am pleased to report to the House that under the Minns Labor Government manufacturing has grown for two years in a row—the first time that has been achieved since 2003. [Extension of time]

Members have to ask why that is. Why have we been so successful? It is because our international partners are now confident in the State's economy, its manufacturing and its exporters. But we are only just getting started. Our trade focus has been about diversifying our export base by exporting new products to new markets. The Federal Government has a great record when it comes to tariffs, stabilising our relationship with China—our largest trading partner—and reducing tariffs on so many products, from wheat to wine. That means growth for the New South Wales economy. We are not stopping there. South-East Asia is right on our doorstep and is entering a golden age. That $5 trillion economic bloc will be the fourth largest economy by 2040. That is why the New South Wales Government wants to make sure we are at the forefront of the economic transformation.

Last week the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces and I had the pleasure of welcoming a diplomatic corps from the region to Wollongong as part of our Association of Southeast Asian Nations market update series. We showcased the economic potential of the Illawarra—including Port Kembla, BlueScope and the University of Wollongong—to a very receptive crowd. It was also deliberate that my first trade mission as Minister was to South-East Asia. It included 23 meetings and 13 events with 480 government leaders, existing partners and prospective partners, because trade is about engagement and good relationships. We continue to do that work. With all the things this State exports, one thing we will not export is the culture of cronyism and the "jobs for the boys" honey pot of the last Government. I assure members that we will not appoint the former member for Monaro as a representative for New South Wales in any capacity. We will focus on jobs, economic growth and prosperity for the people of New South Wales. [Time expired.]

The SPEAKER: The member for Terrigal will come to order.