Employment figures released today show that Australia has hemorrhaged 93 jobs a day in the manufacturing and mining industries on Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull’s watch.
The ABS Labour Force Detailed Quarterly statistics show there are 44,000 fewer manufacturing jobs and 49,000 fewer mining jobs compared with when the Coalition took power in 2013.
“Australia now has the lowest proportion of manufacturing jobs in the OECD,” CFMEU National Secretary Michael O’Connor said.
“Since the Liberal Party has been in Government, we have lost 93 jobs in manufacturing and mining every day. This number will dramatically increase when Ford, Toyota and Holden cease manufacturing from later this year.
“And the number of underemployed people is now at its highest since records began.
“Jobs and Growth needs to be more than just a slogan. Job growth requires governments with an active role in supporting manufacturing and local communities through targeted industry policies.
“The Abbott and Turnbull Governments have turned their back on entire industries in this country – from car manufacturing, to paper, to steel.
“And their one-sided free trade agreements sell out Australian manufacturers.”
A report released earlier this month by the Centre for Future Work revealed manufacturing sector growth in countries with proactive government policies.
The report’s author Jim Stanford said that the decline of manufacturing in Australia was not ‘normal’ or ‘inevitable’.
Australia’s mining and manufacturing industries have traditionally provided full time, high income jobs, to blue collar workers, often in regional Australia. The sectors have been a rich source of R&D and provided opportunities for young people to take up apprentices.
“Instead of a plan for Australian manufacturing, all Malcolm Turnbull can offer is a three word slogan and a massive tax cut for business and the banking sector.”