APRIL 13, 2022 – Scott Morrison’s promise of 1.3 million new jobs, touted during his visit to Rheem’s Western Sydney factory yesterday, has quickly come to stand in for his government’s record on manufacturing: very little to show for all the photo ops and announcements.
Despite being at a manufacturing facility, Morrison offered no tangible support for Australian manufacturing, a sector that could create 400,000 new direct jobs and a further 265,000 throughout the supply chain with the right policies.
The revelation that followed his visit, Rheem’s plan to offshore up to a third of its operations, putting more than 100 jobs at risk, has become far too commonplace after nine years of a Liberal National Government that has failed to learn the lessons of the pandemic on the need for manufacturing self- sufficiency.
Quotes attributable to AMWU National Secretary Steve Murphy:
“Scott Morrison is quick to show up in hi-vis but it means nothing when he won’t support Aussie made.
“Workers that are actually on the tools want to see the government use its purchasing power to buy local, to support the creation of secure jobs, and to train the next generation of workers.
“Even after the pandemic reminded us just how important it is to make and maintain the things we need right here, the Morrison government has failed to invest in the future of our industries.
“Scott Morrison has been prime minster for almost four years now. He has had every opportunity to fix things, to support Aussie made, but has chosen not to.
“We should be building our submarines, our wind towers, and our hot water heaters in Australia, but under a re-elected Morrison government, we won’t be.
"Workers in manufacturing industries are most worried about their wages going backwards and the inadequate protection against insecure work. Scott Morrison doesn’t have a plan to address either.”