MANUFACTURING CONTINUES TO BURN AS LABOR FIDDLES
01-December-2011
Australian manufacturing has recorded yet another month of decline, while Labor indulges in yet another review and defers any policy decisions for a least a further six months.
The Australian Industry Group – PricewaterhouseCoopers Performance of Manufacturing Performance Index (PMI) data for November was 47.8 (results below 50 indicate a decline in the sector), yet another contraction under this directionless, uninspired and unimaginative Government.
Labor’s Manufacturing Taskforce met yesterday but the take home message was that its members would report back with a “shared vision” and “advice” by June next year.
For four years, Labor has turned its back on genuine policy reform and real action, and instead opted to introduce a veritable succession of reviews, discussions, dialogue, consultations, a summit, forums, statements, councils, partnerships, advocates, ambassadors and envoys.
As a stunt to continue to avoid taking any action, Julia Gillard now ludicrously says not enough talking has been done yet – and so has established a secretariat and working group to help set up a taskforce. They will develop a workplan so that, in its meetings, the taskforce can consider consultations, devise a draft roadmap, and write a paper as part of another paper.
This is not the way to fix problems that need to be immediately overcome.
Amongst the key findings in the November PMI Report, manufacturers have cited for a fifth straight month concerns over the impact of the carbon tax as a key inhibitor to performance.
If Ms Gillard was really serious about helping the manufacturing sector the most decisive action she could take is to axe the carbon tax and she should do so immediately.