The Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union says the business coalition ‘Manufacturing Australia’ risks missing out on opportunities to grow jobs by focussing on opposition to an inevitable price on carbon.
Dave Oliver, AMWU National Secretary said, “The business groups involved in this campaign are making a last ditch effort to hold back the tide when they should be trying to catch next wave of jobs and technology development. It is an extremely backwards approach.”
“The AMWU has been campaigning under the banner of Manufacturing: Australia’s Future. (www.makingourfuture.com.au) We’ve been focussing on the job opportunities in new technology industries – particularly in the energy efficient and clean energy areas.
“It’s flattering that the ‘Manufacturing Australia’ group has copied the title of our campaign but they have left the ‘future’ out of the name and they have left the future out of what they’re talking about.
“The clean technology sector is worth $6 trillion worldwide, and Australian industry needs to focus on winning our share of those jobs.
“We have had a long debate with the government and that has rightly included assistance to adjust and money to invest in the future – and that is what the $300 million Steel Plan is about – and that is why Tony Abbott should pass that package.
“Last week at the jobs forum we had all the major players from business in the room with the government and other industry experts. They didn’t raise the carbon tax. They didn’t raise industrial relations reform. They certainly didn’t raise the ALP leadership. In fact, there was a sense that we could move forward with an agenda for the industry.
“So it’s really disheartening to hear this group coming out this morning with this highly political agenda which doesn’t match up with the real issues in the industry. The fact that Dick Warburton refused to even support the steel industry plan shows that he’s just a mouthpiece for Tony Abbott.
“Manufacturing is always under pressure to adjust as new technology comes online. Our sector has employed one million people for the past 40 years because we have adjusted. The government’s Clean Energy Future plan could be a game changer for our industry but business has to be focussed on those opportunities,” Mr Oliver said.
“The key to making sure we have a future for manufacturing – and the one million workers it employs – is to focus on getting ahead. Delaying the industry development programs in the Clean Energy plan will cost us jobs.”