Ford decision shows Labor is failing manufacturing
Greens Deputy Leader and industry and innovation spokesperson Adam Bandt MP says today’s announcement by Ford shows Labor is failing Australian manufacturing and that urgent investment in high speed rail is needed to stimulate the sector.
“Workers and their families are now paying a big price for Labor’s lack of vision,” Mr Bandt said.
“Successive governments have failed to use support for the auto industry to drive innovation.”
“To care for manufacturing workers and their families, we need a plan to transition to high speed rail and cleaner electric cars.”
“Last year, I called for a summit on the crisis facing the economy of the south-eastern Australia and the impact of the two-speed economy. Today’s decision by Ford makes such a crisis summit all the more important.”
“The government needs to be investing in major projects such as east coast high speed rail to arrest the rapid decline in manufacturing.”
“By committing now to high speed rail, jobs would be created over the coming years, providing a pathway for many of the workers who will lose their jobs at Ford.”
“The government could have used the last few years of industry assistance to leap frog to electric vehicles, the future of passenger vehicle transport. That is the future and the government should use this crisis as an opportunity to put in place a plan for the transition to electric vehicles.”
“As it is, the high dollar fuelled by the mining boom combined with Labor’s failure to require car companies to innovate has left the sector without a plan for the future.”