COALITION RISKS THOUSANDS OF AUSTRALIAN SHIP BUILDING JOBS

 

The Abbott Government’s decision not to build two new Royal Australian Navy supply ships here in Australia will cost jobs and puts at risk Australia’s vital ship building industry.

 

The Coalition’s decision to send this work overseas means that the Valley of Death cannot be avoided.

 

Before the election, the Defence Minister said he didn’t want to see our Defence manufacturing base given away to foreign companies:

 

“I get really fired up when I find us giving away our manufacturing base in the Defence space to foreign manufacturers, it’s just not on.”
- 9 August 2013, ABC Newcastle.

 

This is yet another Abbott Government broken promise.

 

It will result in jobs being lost, along with the skills and training that are vital to this strategically important industry.

 

It will undermine our ability to build the Future Frigates here in Australia, as well as our Future Submarines.

 

You don't boost the ADF's maritime capability by putting at risk Australia's ship building industry.

 

You don't secure Australia's long-term national security interests, by making short-term job-destroying decisions.

 

You don't put at risk an entire industry and thousands of jobs based on a secret Government report.

Labor had a $1.5bn plan to bridge the Valley of Death by bringing forward the purchase of new supply ships and replacement patrol boats to be built here in Australia.

 

By not taking decisive action, the Coalition puts at risk the jobs of about 1000 workers at BAE Williamstown, 900 workers at Forgacs in Newcastle, and 1100 workers at ASC in Adelaide.

 

This decision is further evidence that the Abbott Government doesn’t care about jobs and doesn’t care about Australia's long-term manufacturing base.

 

It is another example of the Defence Minister being rolled by his colleagues and explain why he was waving the white flag when questioned about his future in the role earlier this week.

 

Thanks to the Abbott Government, it’s possible that the ship building industry could end up going the way of Holden, Ford, and Toyota.

 

 

FRIDAY, 6 JUNE 2014

 

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