Prime Minister Scott Morrison hails Penrith on visit

The Prime Minister has made a bold prediction for the future of Penrith and backed the region to become a major manufacturing hub.

The Prime Minister has backed Penrith to become an even bigger manufacturing hub and declared the west is “where the money is going”.

Scott Morrison visited Penrith for the first time since this year’s floods on Monday, stopping off at St Marys Outpost Train, Baker and Provan manufacturing and The Blind Chef cafe.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Melissa McIntosh address the crowd at St Marys Train Outposts.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Melissa McIntosh at Baker and Provan.

 “Western Sydney has been going from strength to strength and Penrith continues to solidify itself as one of the big centres of the west,” he said.

“A big part of that is what is happening in the manufacturing sector out here, in and around Penrith, is that it’s a hub for all of those big sectors of industry.”

He said several big projects in the area combined with lower taxes would make it a prime location for small and medium size enterprises.

“Smaller to medium size businesses are set to do very well here and that means they need a centre,” he said.

“I think Penrith continues to grow and develop as the place for that.”

He added: “The west is where the money is going. That’s where the investors are looking because they have the room to move and the people to draw on. Skills training is a very important part of the recovery plan and we’ve got a great relationship with the NSW government on that.”

He said it was key his government did everything it can to support small businesses.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Melissa McIntosh greeting people at St Marys Train Outposts.

“The most important thing is getting the fundamentals right – lower taxes, keeping electricity costs down and ensuring you don’t put up the pressure on interest rates. I mean, these are the things that can really damage small businesses,” he said.

“Talking to Craig here at his business, (the owner of The Blind Chef) what does he need? He needs the economy to recover. We need to secure this recovery. We need people back at work. Out of their homes, back at work and buying coffees in the morning and sandwiches at lunch.”

Prime Minister at The Blind Chef with Member for Lindsay Melissa McIntosh.

He added: “Beyond that, it’s ensuring from the Commonwealth government, because we have so many big defence and other contracts which are supporting local businesses here, we’re making sure that local, small businesses are getting paid on time.

“And we’re putting the same requirements on other big private businesses to make sure small businesses get paid.”

Melissa McIntosh, MP for Lindsay joined the Prime Minster on the visit and said large projects were key.

“Infrastructure projects in western Sydney is going gangbusters now as well as getting back into manufacturing.

“It’s creating local jobs and we saw that at Baker and Provan today. A family business employing new, young tradespeople, women as well. That’s what it’s all about – local jobs.”