ALISON BYRNES, MEMBER FOR CUNNINGHAM: Welcome to Wollongong. Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the Dharawal country the land on which we meet today and pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging.

I would like to acknowledge my federal colleague Stephen Jones and also Ryan Park and Paul Scully from New South Wales. I would also like to say  a very big thank you to our host here today, the University  of Wollongong. With Professor Alex Frino the acting Vice Chancellor, Senior Professor Gursel Alici, the Executive Dean of the faculty of Engineering and Information Services, Ty Christopher the dynamic Director of the Energy Futures Network, and Canio Fierravanti, the Government Relations Director.

I am so delighted to host the Prime Minister here today at a facility that he opened in 2011 after an investment of $35 million by the then Labor government. I am also really excited to show him the vital role that the Energy Futures Skills Centre will play in training our renewable energy workforce of the future, and how it will help put our region and Australia on the map in the renewables sector.

I stood for Parliament because I care about people, I care about our planet, and I care about jobs. I advocated strongly for the facility we are talking about here today because it encapsulates these values. The people of the Illawarra care about reducing emissions and they care doing their part in tackling climate change. We also understand the realities involved in building and maintaining the grid change, and forging the high quality steel required for the infrastructure that is going to tackle this challenge.  Australia's renewable sector will require diverse skill sets from steelmaking, engineering, manufacturing, port and land logistics, and many others and these are skills that the Illawarra has.

It's now my very great pleasure to introduce the Prime Minister who is no stranger to the Illawarra, no stranger to the University of Wollongong, and no stranger to wanting to help this region and achieve its ambitions. Thank you.