Carbon Tax to add to woes of manufacturing

20 Sep 11

A further 30,700 manufacturing jobs have been lost during the last quarter as Labor substitutes a pointless talkfest for effective policy, and persists with a carbon tax that will dramatically reduce industry competitiveness.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics quarterly labor force statistics for manufacturing employment in Australia for the August quarter reveal that a manufacturing job is being lost at an unprecedented rate of approximately 1 every 4 minutes, leaving 365 workers jobless every day.

Instead of the thorough investigation into Australian manufacturing proposed by key unions and industry groups, the Prime Minister has announced a token jobs forum on 6 October.

In stark contrast, the Coalition has commenced a thorough ‘industries for Australia’s future’ policy review which will take into account the views of all key stakeholders in an appropriate timeframe, reporting policy recommendations by Christmas 2011.

Adding to the woes of industry, media reports today confirm that over 90% of the manufacturing sector will face the full impact of the carbon tax. Research undertaken by the Australian Trade and Industry Alliance shows that less than 9% of the manufacturing workforce is employed by firms that will receive any assistance from the Government.

Given the increasing rate of industry job displacement, the complete void of meaningful industry policy and the announcement of a pointless jobs forum surely Labor can’t persist with a carbon tax which will be the final nail in the coffin of Australia’s manufacturing sector.

Liberal Party Press Release