Remarks, Factory Opening
22 September 2019
Wapakoneta, Ohio
Thank you. Well thank you Mr. President, Donald. It's wonderful to be here with you in Ohio. G’day Ohio How are you? You good?
Can I also acknowledge veterans who are here today. Put your hand up if you're a veteran here today. Thank you for your service.
Not just to the United States but to the great alliance between Australia and the United States.
Senator Rob Portman, Jim Jordan, it's great to see you guys here today. Ambassadors’ Hockey and Culvahouse you guys are doing a tremendous job.
But to Anthony Pratt and the whole Pratt Enterprise here and Ed, well done on a fabulous investment and project here.
It's great to be here and now, it's great to be here in Wapakoneta. Is that right? Is that close? Wapakoneta.
Now you think I'd do a little bit better than that. Now I understand from meeting the Aussies who are already here, are down the front here- Andrew, Brian, Alan, Edward, Martin. They're all here.
And they told me this is called Wapak, is that right? Here you go. Wapak.
But you'd think I'd get it a bit better because we've got Wagga Wagga, Wollongong, Wallerang, Wangaratta, Warrnambool, Woolloomooloo.
So you know, Wapak- that fits right in. This is a bit of Australia right here in Ohio. I reckon. There's a bit of Australia here.
Now as the President was saying the economy is so important. If you don't have a strong economy, well there's so many other things you can't do. You can't invest in the things that matter to people. People don't get jobs, and to have a strong economy and what we're seeing built here is just so exciting.
The President and I are here today because we believe in jobs. We believe in the way that jobs transform lives. How jobs give people choices. People are raising families, doing the right thing, building their communities, putting their kids through school, helping their neighbours, putting aside money for their retirement.
Jobs is what creates those choices and opportunities. So what we're celebrating here is jobs.
Now there's a very famous American that's come out of this wonderful town. You all know who it is, Neil Armstrong. A great American.
And unemployment in the United States has not been as low as it is since Neil Armstrong walked on the moon.
That is an amazing achievement Mr. President.
The lowest unemployment rate we've seen in United States for a very, very long time. And the reason it's happening is because people are investing. They're investing in policies that are reducing taxes like they are in my own country. They're investing in policies which is seeing their economies grow and people can see things happening and they want to be part of what is happening.
And that's what Anthony has seen right here in Ohio. Anthony is a wonderful Australian who's taken a good company to a great company. You might say a company as strong as steel to a company as strong as titanium, Mr. President.
This is a great Australian who is building an even greater company. And a company that is investing both in United States and of course in Australia. Twenty seven states he now is in. 70 factories.
But the thing about Anthony, which is true of all Australians, is we keep our promises. When we make a promise we keep it, when we make a promise to be in an alliance we keep that promise, and Anthony promised that he would invest in the United States with the election of the President and the jobs that are here are because this man keeps his promise.
So Mr. President thanks for the opportunity to be here today.
Thank you for the opportunity for Australia and the United States to work together in the way we do, not just an alliance based on security and our defence forces but an economic partnership where together we're making jobs great again.
Cheers.
https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42430
