ETU welcomes Labor Government’s plan to secure Australian automotive manufacturing industry
The Labor Government’s announcement today of an extra $500 million in support to 2020 for the automotive manufacturing industry has been welcomed by the Electrical Trades Union.
ETU National Secretary Allen Hicks said it was heartening to see the Labor Government backing the commitment of workers in maintaining the industry.
“This week we have seen significant and very difficult sacrifices made by workers at Holden to ensure the future viability of their industry. I think it will be extremely heartening for those workers to see that this Labor Government has their backs,” Mr Hicks said.
“The Australian automotive manufacturing industry is critical to our economy. Australia is one of only 13 countries on the planet that can produce a vehicle from scratch. 50,000 Australians are employed by the car industry.
“We must ensure this industry stays on its feet and retains the confidence to invest in Australia and provide quality jobs for decades to come.
“The only ones who don’t seem to understand this are the Coalition. If Tony Abbott wins office he has already promised to rip $500 million from automotive support to 2015, and has flagged cutting all assistance post-2015. This course of action would destroy all confidence in the sector and put thousands of Australian jobs at risk.
“Today’s announcement makes the choice for Australian voters on September 7 very stark: do they want an Australian car industry in the future or are they happy to see it rapidly disappear in the coming years?”
Mr Hicks said while the ‘New Car Plan for the 2020s’ was a vital step, governments at both the state and federal level needed to remain responsive to industry need.
“In order for this industry to survive and thrive into the future, both federal and state governments must take an active role,” he said.
“Today’s announcement is critical, but it is not the end of the story. Ongoing vigilance will be necessary if we are serious about securing a car industry in this country for the long term.”
