Right now in Coniston, a local company is turning innovation into opportunity and showing what a future made in Australia really looks like.

I was proud to join the team at Gravitas Technologies in July to officially turn the first sod on their new facility right in the heart of the Illawarra.

Gravitas is at the cutting edge of critical minerals processing. Their team has created an incredibly innovative material called Vulloy that's built to perform in extreme heat and tough environments. It has real potential in industries like defence, aerospace and green steel.

The Albanese Labor government has supported Gravitas with $1.5 million under the Industry Growth Program to build a facility that will help boost our sovereign capability, strengthen supply chains and create highly skilled local jobs.

This is what the Future Made in Australia agenda is all about: backing Australian ideas, investing in regional jobs and putting local manufacturing back on the map.

I want to congratulate Sam, Charlie, Shane, Danny and the entire Gravitas team for the incredible work that they've put in to reach this point. They're building more than just a facility; they're helping to build the future of advanced manufacturing in this country.