Prime Minister visits Maryborough munitions manufacturer

Jobs, manufacturing and the defence industry were on Prime Minister Scott Morrison's agenda when he visited Maryborough today.

Mr Morrison visited the Rheinmetall Nioa munitions factory construction site and Global Manufacturing Group while in the heritage city.

"We're making things in Australia, we're making things in Queensland and we're making things in Maryborough and we're making jobs."

MARYBOROUGH VISIT: (L) Global Manufacturing Group Director of Business Development, Phil Dowling, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and MP Llew O'Brien. Mr Dowling presented the Prime Minister with a laser cut name plate bearing, "ScoMo."

"Defence manufacturing is one of Australia's priorities, we're really, really good at it, you can see it all over the country … we get it done on the ground, that's why it's a priority.

"We have to be able to do what we are doing here with these munitions in Australia, we can't be relying on other places for that to happen."

"That's why I was really please to come here today, it brought all that together in this project.

"I look forward to coming back, I look forward to seeing the progress that is going to be here … it's great to see things be built in Maryborough."

Mr Morrison said there were a range of reasons to bring defence industry developments to regional Australia, like the Rheinmetall Nioa factory at Maryborough.

"One is the footprint of this site, the way you can develop a facility like this, regional communities have a lot to offer in being able to host this type of a project."

"If you need a forge the size of Hercules, as what's going to be in here, this is a great place to put it and the jobs will come."

Mr Morrison congratulated Federal MP for Wide Bay Llew O'Brien for his effort in bringing jobs to Maryborough.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison inspects concepts of the Rheinmetall Nioa Munitions factory with MP Llew O'Brien. Photo: Stuart Fast

Rheinmetall Nioa Munitions Deputy Chair, Robert Nioa said it was a great honour to host the Prime Minster in the soon to be completed factory.

"It not only speaks volumes for the strategic importance of the defence industry but also how vital this factory is to transitioning the local economy into new and advanced manufacturing opportunities, ensuring jobs, skills and trades stay in the Fraser Coast region,''

The $60 million munitions factory is months away from completion, ready for the fit-out and commissioning by the middle of this year.

The factory is set to employ 100 people and provide a long-term skills and jobs injection in the Fraser Coast region.