NSW LABOR'S POLICY WILL REBUILD DOMESTIC MANUFACTURING TO BOOST JOBS AND BETTER WAGES
NSW Labor’s recently announced policy will rebuild our domestic manufacturing industry. This will lead to more jobs, better wages, increased skills and training opportunities, and sustainable economic growth for the future especially in our regions. In contrast to the Liberal Government’s ideological obsession with outsourcing and offshoring manufacturing, which has only resulted in budget blowouts and lost job opportunities for our local community.
NSW Labor’s policy includes:
A TAFE Manufacturing Centre of Excellence in the Hunter;
50% minimum local content target for transport rolling stock;
Increased tender weightings to 30% for local content, jobs creation and ethical supply chains;
The first NSW Jobs First Commission – an independent, expert body to oversee the growth of local industries and provide support for businesses to bid for Government tenders; and
Redefine “value for money” to better capture wider economic benefits, job creation and industry development when spending Government money.
Shadow Minister for Industry and Trade, Anoulack Chanthivong MP met with Shadow Ministerial colleagues Tim Crakanthorp MP and Kate Washington MP to visit two manufacturing companies to highlight the success and growth potential of manufacturing in the Hunter region.
The visit included a tour of Australia’s largest privately-owned electrical engineering company, Ampcontrol; and LAVO, which designs and manufactures renewable hydrogen energy storage solutions for residential and commercial use.
With surging demand in green energy storage solutions, LAVO anticipates growth of its award-winning hydrogen battery will increase from $29 million in sales revenue in 2021 to $253 million in 2023. The project is expected to create more than 250 jobs by 2025.
From humble beginnings in a Newcastle shed in 1968, Ampcontrol has grown to over 850 employees across 30 operations worldwide servicing the resources, infrastructure, and energy sectors.
Shadow Minister for Industry and Trade Anoulack Chanthivong MP said NSW Labor understands the importance of domestic manufacturing and its future role in growing our economy.
“The manufacturing industry employs 250,000 people in NSW alone,” he said. We also know that more than three jobs are created for every in direct manufacturing role and that’s why NSW Labor will help rebuild and grow our domestic manufacturing industry,” Mr Chanthivong said.
“By committing to domestic manufacturing, we can help grow innovative businesses like Ampcontrol, LAVO, and many others across NSW. This will create much-needed, well-paid jobs, and grow our economy for the future,” he said.
Shadow Minister for Skills and TAFE Tim Crakanthorp MP said it was important to invest in training and skills development to create a resilient and adaptable workforce fit for the future. “It is no secret that the Liberal Government has decimated TAFE and we’re seeing the impact of this currently with a skills labour shortage across the economy.
“There are half as many apprentices in NSW in 2022 as there were in 2011, when the Liberal Government was first elected. NSW Labor believes an investment in skills is an investment in jobs and better wages,” Mr Crakanthorp said.
Member for Port Stephens Kate Washington MP said: “When the Liberal-National Government chose to spend billions of taxpayer dollars on trains built overseas, our communities in the Hunter were horrified.”
“Labor’s policy will mean more jobs, better wages, increased skills, and more training opportunities for people in my community of Port Stephens and right across the Hunter,” concluded Ms Washington. DATE: FRIDAY, 22 JULY 2022
