GOVERNMENT PUNISHES LOCAL BUSINESSES, REWARDS OVERSEAS MANUFACTURERS
30-June-2010
The Australian Government should be rewarding innovative Australian businesses, not punishing them.
That was the message from today’s visit to Bruck Textiles by Shadow Defence Minister, Senator David Johnston, and Shadow Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research and local Federal Member, Sophie Mirabella.
INNOVATION
Senator Johnston visited the Wangaratta manufacturer, which makes camouflage fabric used by our defence force, and has recently announced a joint venture with RMIT and Defence Materiel Organisation as a Centre of Excellence for the manufacture and development of defence material.
“Surely when it comes to regional jobs, we can expect the Government in defence contracting to do the right thing by all of us,” Senator Johnston said.
“Bruck Textiles was front and centre of a total Government backflip in February this year. The Government was forced to backdown from a decision allowing the sourcing of camouflage fabric from China,” Sophie Mirabella said.
“Since then the Government has been punishing Bruck Textiles.”
FAIR WORK PRINCIPLES
Government legislation demands that Australia companies tendering for Government contracts comply with Fair Work Principles which outline strict workplace requirements. Unfortunately overseas companies are specifically exempt from these strict requirements.
This is a disgraceful and unacceptable double standard and a second blow to local manufacturers.
“Locally we have a world class facility and Minister Combet couldn’t be bothered visiting,” Mrs Mirabella said.
“He is too busy criss-crossing the country patching up the botched insulation program and can’t be bothered stopping in Wangaratta.
Sophie Mirabella said even though Indi wasn’t classified as a “marginal seat”, every relevant Minister in the Howard Government found time to visit Bruck and Senator Johnston was following in this fine tradition.
“Bruck is a world class facility that can meet Government contractual demands, but this Labor Government is hell bent on harming Australian interests,” Sophie Mirabella said.
“Mr Rudd former PM couldn’t trust Mr Combet on his word. Why should we.”