LABOR UNHINGED ON INDUSTRY POLICY
30-August-2011
Paralysed Industry Minister Kim Carr does not want the scrutiny of a review which would embarrass him over his lack of stewardship, support of a carbon tax and a litany of other policy failures.
Labor is paralysed like a rabbit in the spotlight and pathetically can’t even hold an inquiry into the future of manufacturing.
Compounding the problem, the pet attack dog of the Prime Minister, Trade Minister Craig Emerson, has been unleashed to bark as loudly as possible just to create a lot of noise and distraction.
Their predicted response will be to say either the Coalition doesn’t care about jobs or to label any policy initiatives, whatever they may be, as protectionism. However, it is Labor that has already committed to protection of certain industries through carbon tax compensation. The Grattan Institute released a report today that indicates compensation to the steel industry will equate to $36,000 per worker, not to mention $1.3b of coal mining assistance despite soaring global coal prices.
Simmering away is a discontented Labor backbench who are furious at impotent ministers who are sitting by while Rome burns. Already a ginger group of manufacturing intensive electorate Labor backbenchers has confronted Mr Carr over what they perceive to be a policy crisis. Others like Senator Doug Cameron can no longer maintain their silence and are going public over Labor spurning representations from union and industry groups calling for a manufacturing inquiry.
At a time when the Government is so paralysed they can’t even hold an inquiry into the manufacturing crisis – it’s obviously time for an election.