Less jobs and less R & D does not equal more productivity
19-January-2010
In his speech last night Mr Rudd said Australia needs to lift its productivity to meet the future challenges of an aging population. He is asking Australians to work harder. Australians have always been hard workers but to work hard they must have a job.
The automotive industry is only one industry but it is an important manufacturing industry employing over 50,000 people directly and another 100,000 in dependent industries. Figures released this year show that in 2009 Australian vehicle production volumes had fallen to their lowest level in over 50 years. The Industry Minister Kim Carr thinks this is a cause for celebration.
The Food and Grocery manufacturing industry is Australia's largest manufacturing sector employing over 315,000 people with 28 percent of total manufacturing turnover. The industry is essential if the growing Australian population is to continue to be able to feed itself. Yet in the industry's own words there is no national government policy for their industry.
Mr Rudd before you ask Australians to work harder you need to work harder to ensure Australia continues to have a sound manufacturing industry able to provide secure employment into the future. After all didn't you say you didn't want to be Prime Minister of a country that didn't make things anymore?
You also need to work harder to ensure Australia remains a smart country and continues to engage in the research and development and innovation necessary to create new jobs and improve productivity. So can you please explain why you are currently proposing to gut the very important incentives currently being provided for research and development?
Remember Mr Rudd you can't work hard if you don't have a job and having spent the country's savings, saddled it with debt, simply making speeches won't secure Australia’s future.