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| Trend unemployment falls to lowest rate in four years at 5.5% – politics live | Trend unemployment falls to lowest rate in four years at 5.5% – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 3.09am BST | |
| 03:09 | |
| With how quick this morning was moving, I didn’t get a chance to transcribe Mitch Fifield’s chat on RN Breakfast. Given the interest in the ABC legislation yesterday, I thought there may be some interest in this exchange between Fran Kelly and the communications minister. | |
| Kelly: In your second reading speech on the ABC legislation yesterday, you said, I quote, people expect the publicly funded broadcaster to canvas a broad range of issues in a fair and balanced manner. Are you suggesting that we don’t do that? Can you give us an example of where the ABC hasn’t been fair and balanced? | |
| Fifield: All media organisations need to strive to be their best selves. There is no media organisation in Australia that is perfect. Where the ABC differs from the commercial media organisations is that is receives more than a billion dollars a year in taxpayer funding. Now what that means is that the public are entitled to expect a degree of confidence in the way the ABC executes its duties… | |
| Kelly: Are you suggesting we’re not doing that now? | |
| Fifield: As you know Fran, the ABC’s Act already requires it to be ‘impartial’ and ‘accurate’ in its news and current affairs presentations. What we’re proposing is that we put alongside that in the Act, the requirement to be ‘fair and balanced’. | |
| Kelly: And what’s the difference, as you mentioned the act there and that’s one of the differences where the ABC is different from other media organisations, we have a charter which says, quote, “gathering and presentation of news and information must be accurate and impartial according to the recognised standards of objective journalism’. So what’s the difference of accurate and impartial and fair and balanced? | |
| Fifield: Well, ‘fair and balanced’ is something that is already in chapter four of the ABC’s own editorial policies where it talks about the need to have “fair treatment”, where it talks about a “balance which follows the weight of evidence”. The Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance own Journalistic Code of Ethics talks about fairness on no less than six occasions. These are well-known journalistic concepts… | |
| Kelly: Already built into our editorial guidelines as you say... following the weight of evidence. Does fair and balanced mean giving equal weight to both sides of an argument, no matter if one side is spurious because that seems to be One Nation’s understanding, is that yours? | |
| Fifield: I’m very comfortable with what is in the ABC’s editorial policy, a “balance that follows the weight of evidence’. And if you’re comfortable with that Fran and if I’m comfortable with that, and if ABC journalists are comfortable with what is in the ABC’s editorial policies and think that it’s good journalism, then there should be absolutely no objection to that being enshrined in the ABC’s own act. | |
| Kelly: Okay, just so long as legislating I suppose doesn’t mean that then a politician can say well that’s not fair and balanced then for instance when you were covering the anti-vaccine campaign for instance, you didn’t give equal say to an expert with a political opinion from an anti-vaxxer. That would be allowed to be charged under the legislation. | |
| Fifield: Fran, the Act is given effect to ultimately by the board of the ABC. And it finds expression through the ABC’s editorial policies. The ABC’s editorial policies, as they are today, will be matters that are determined within the organisation, because the ABC has legislated independence… | |
| Kelly: I understand, but once there’s legislation people will be able to challenge the ABC for breaching the law if they don’t believe that is happening? | |
| Fifield: Well, Fran it’s open to Members of Parliament and members of the public, even today, to question the ABC. To ask whether the ABC is operating within its charter… | |
| Kelly: As it should be… | |
| Fifield: As it should be. And that will be the case if this legislation gets through the Parliament. The ABC is not beyond question. The ABC isn’t always perfect. The ABC should always be striving to achieve the best journalistic standards… | |
| Kelly: But just in that example I gave for instance, would there be a case for someone like Pauline Hanson or someone to argue that when it comes to anti-vaxxer campaigners they should be given equal say as expert medical opinion? | |
| Fifield:Fran, if the MEAA and if the ABC, through its own editorial policies is already comfortable and supports the concept of fairness and balance then it should be very comfortable with having fair and balanced in its own legislation. | |
| Kelly:And can I just ask you to, the deal with One Nation requires pay disclosure of all ABC and SBS staff earning more than $200,000 and you’ve given the ABC until the end of the month to publish pay and allowances voluntarily, if it doesn’t try and force it do so through legislation. In the commercial world, employee salaries are protected by privacy laws, why shouldn’t ABC salaries be the same? | |
| Fifield:The ABC receives more than a billion dollars of taxpayers’ money Fran. And people in the ABC, paid for by the taxpayer, hold significant positions of public trust. In that environment it is appropriate that there be the same sort of disclosure in terms of what people are paid as there are for members of parliament, ministers, judges… | |
| Kelly: But it’s different for Members of parliament, because yours are determined by a remuneration tribunal, I mean by definition they are determined, ABC salaries are not. What are you hoping to achieve by this? Do you think we’re overpaid or…? | |
| Fifield: You’re right, the pay of members of parliament and judges and senior military officers and senior public servants are determined by an independent tribunal. That’s not the case with the ABC. The ABC staff receive taxpayer money, just as we do, and there is no reason why there should not be a similar level of transparency as there is for Ministers, judges, members of parliament... | |
| Kelly: But what would it achieve? Do you think we’re being overpaid? | |
| Fifield: Well Fran that will be a determination for the public. When you have transparency, the public forms a view about the value and worth of individuals and what they’re paid. The public has views about members of parliament. The public might form those views about senior people at the ABC as well. | |
| 2.54am BST | |
| 02:54 | |
| I tend to take a very cynical view of politicians, no matter what side of the fence they sit on, and stunts (like dabbing) – but you guys seem to like it. I covered state politics for years. It leaves a mark on you. | |
| But for those of you who liked seeing a photo of kids enjoying themselves, I gift you another. | |
| Updated | |
| at 2.56am BST | |
| 2.38am BST | |
| 02:38 | |
| Taking time out of his busy dabbing schedule, the opposition leader examined a car. | |
| Updated | |
| at 2.54am BST | |
| 2.35am BST | |
| 02:35 | |
| Bill Shorten doesn’t often dab. But when he does, he makes sure the cameras are there. | |
| Updated | |
| at 2.46am BST | |
| 2.31am BST | 2.31am BST |
| 02:31 | 02:31 |
| The Greens MP Adam Bandt is not pleased with where he thinks Labor is heading with the energy debate. Earlier today, we reported Bandt called the NEG as being worse for renewables than doing nothing. | |
| Now Bandt is calling on Labor to join the Greens in its opposition to the policy | Now Bandt is calling on Labor to join the Greens in its opposition to the policy |
| “Cutting support for renewables is appalling, but actively pulling wind and solar out of the system is pure bastardry and Labor must not have a bar of it,” he said in a statement | “Cutting support for renewables is appalling, but actively pulling wind and solar out of the system is pure bastardry and Labor must not have a bar of it,” he said in a statement |
| “Labor did a deal with the Liberals to cut the Renewable Energy Target and they’re getting ready to cut renewables again, sending MPs out to pretend the NEG is some kind of carbon price in disguise. | “Labor did a deal with the Liberals to cut the Renewable Energy Target and they’re getting ready to cut renewables again, sending MPs out to pretend the NEG is some kind of carbon price in disguise. |
| “Doing another deal with the Liberals to cut renewables would be a new low for Labor.” | “Doing another deal with the Liberals to cut renewables would be a new low for Labor.” |
| Updated | |
| at 2.50am BST | |
| 2.27am BST | 2.27am BST |
| 02:27 | 02:27 |
| Andrew Wilkie has responded to Labor and the Coalition’s position on the casino inquiry | Andrew Wilkie has responded to Labor and the Coalition’s position on the casino inquiry |
| Labor and Liberal grovel to poker machine industry, says @WilkieMP #auspol pic.twitter.com/A60U0nf1xl | Labor and Liberal grovel to poker machine industry, says @WilkieMP #auspol pic.twitter.com/A60U0nf1xl |
| 2.09am BST | 2.09am BST |
| 02:09 | 02:09 |
| Is the Neg a carbon price bingo | Is the Neg a carbon price bingo |
| Katharine Murphy | Katharine Murphy |
| When economists try to be diplomats: “It’s the internalisation of an externality” | When economists try to be diplomats: “It’s the internalisation of an externality” |
| AGL is in town today, appearing before a parliamentary committee looking at electricity infrastructure. Tim Nelson is AGL’s chief economist. | AGL is in town today, appearing before a parliamentary committee looking at electricity infrastructure. Tim Nelson is AGL’s chief economist. |
| Nelson has just given a tick to the Turnbull government’s national energy guarantee, at least in concept. He thinks imposing a reliability and an emissions reduction obligation on electricity retailers through the existing electricity market contracts structure is “a very neat way to tie it together” – but he adds the obvious caveat, “that said, the devil will be in the detail”. | Nelson has just given a tick to the Turnbull government’s national energy guarantee, at least in concept. He thinks imposing a reliability and an emissions reduction obligation on electricity retailers through the existing electricity market contracts structure is “a very neat way to tie it together” – but he adds the obvious caveat, “that said, the devil will be in the detail”. |
| A funny exchange follows between Nelson and the Labor MP Pat Conroy, who knows a a lot about energy policy, having worked in the backroom during the climate wars of the past ten years before embarking on his own political career.Conroy thinks, and has said, that the NEG is an awful lot like a not very transparent carbon price. He wonders whether Nelson agrees. | A funny exchange follows between Nelson and the Labor MP Pat Conroy, who knows a a lot about energy policy, having worked in the backroom during the climate wars of the past ten years before embarking on his own political career.Conroy thinks, and has said, that the NEG is an awful lot like a not very transparent carbon price. He wonders whether Nelson agrees. |
| Nelson, attempting diplomacy, thinks the NEG is an “internalisation of an externality.” | |
| OK, Conroy says, what’s the externality we are talking about? Nelson says the emissions reduction obligation imposed by the government – the requirement to ensure Australia meets the Paris target. | |
| So we are placing an internal price on carbon dioxide emissions, Conroy asks? | So we are placing an internal price on carbon dioxide emissions, Conroy asks? |
| Tim Nelson: “Placing a price on that, yes.” | Tim Nelson: “Placing a price on that, yes.” |
| Let’s call today, carbon price bingo. | |
| Bingo, says Nelson. | |
| Updated | |
| at 2.49am BST | |
| 2.01am BST | 2.01am BST |
| 02:01 | 02:01 |
| The beast continues to move: with no major party support for the Senate inquiry into the Wilkie casino allegations, the motion is being delayed. | The beast continues to move: with no major party support for the Senate inquiry into the Wilkie casino allegations, the motion is being delayed. |
| As pointed out in the comments, it could come back, depending if anything is found at the state level. But for now, it is being shuffled off the agenda. | As pointed out in the comments, it could come back, depending if anything is found at the state level. But for now, it is being shuffled off the agenda. |
| 1.56am BST | 1.56am BST |
| 01:56 | 01:56 |
| Gareth Hutchens | Gareth Hutchens |
| A little more detail on the latest job figures ... | A little more detail on the latest job figures ... |
| The unemployment rate fell to 5.5% in September, driven by a large increase in part-time employment, in seasonally-adjusted terms. | The unemployment rate fell to 5.5% in September, driven by a large increase in part-time employment, in seasonally-adjusted terms. |
| Between August and September, 13,700 part-time positions were created, and 6,100 full-time positions were created. | Between August and September, 13,700 part-time positions were created, and 6,100 full-time positions were created. |
| Over the last 12 months, full-time employment has increased by 315,900 persons, while part-time employment has increased by 55,600 persons. | Over the last 12 months, full-time employment has increased by 315,900 persons, while part-time employment has increased by 55,600 persons. |
| Last month, the largest increase in employment was in New South Wales (up 21,100 persons), followed by Victoria (up 8,900 persons) and Western Australia (up 8,300 persons). | Last month, the largest increase in employment was in New South Wales (up 21,100 persons), followed by Victoria (up 8,900 persons) and Western Australia (up 8,300 persons). |
| But the unemployment rate has not fallen in every state and territory – Queensland’s unemployment rate increased from 5.7% to 5.9% last month. South Australia’s unemployment rate increased from 5.7% to 5.8%. | But the unemployment rate has not fallen in every state and territory – Queensland’s unemployment rate increased from 5.7% to 5.9% last month. South Australia’s unemployment rate increased from 5.7% to 5.8%. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.09am BST | at 2.09am BST |
| 1.53am BST | 1.53am BST |
| 01:53 | 01:53 |
| While we are on Holden, this is very much worth your time to read. No politics, but a lot of heart: | While we are on Holden, this is very much worth your time to read. No politics, but a lot of heart: |
| I wrote a little story about Holden and my family, hope you like. https://t.co/3SrVHobxV7 | I wrote a little story about Holden and my family, hope you like. https://t.co/3SrVHobxV7 |
| 1.52am BST | 1.52am BST |
| 01:52 | 01:52 |
| Kim Carr had A LOT to say about Holden’s closure and has not been shy at letting us know who he blames and why. | Kim Carr had A LOT to say about Holden’s closure and has not been shy at letting us know who he blames and why. |
| Tomorrow marks what can only be described asa national tragedy. A national tragedy that need not happen. It was totally avoidable. A national tragedy that’s come about as a direct result of a crusade by the very hard, right-wing men and women of the Liberal party. Remember Sophie Mirabella? Crusade to take $500 million out of the automotive program. Remember the statements of the treasurer goading General Motors to leave Australia, at the time when the international investment committee was meeting in Detroit, stood up in the House of Representatives and goaded them to leave. As the head of General Motors at the time said, played chicken with the automotive industry in this country. We know, because we directly engaged with General Motors, that they were prepared to stay. They took the proposition to their own work force to substantially reduce costs at a time when the dollar was over $1.11on the parity rate. Workers voted in a secret ballot to take a pay cut, to reduce their conditions, on the condition that General Motors were prepared to invest. They came to us as a Labor government and we negotiated arrangements for two new models. A proposition which I took to the government and was endorsed by the government. General Motors, in turn, said: ‘We have to get bipartisan support for that proposition. We can’t make those sorts of investments without the support across the parliament.’ The Liberal party refused. We also know with Toyota, two new models, and if we had kept the automotive industry in place, if we had a Labor government, we would have kept the automotive industry in place and by now we’d be talking about the production of hydrogen cars in this country.” | Tomorrow marks what can only be described asa national tragedy. A national tragedy that need not happen. It was totally avoidable. A national tragedy that’s come about as a direct result of a crusade by the very hard, right-wing men and women of the Liberal party. Remember Sophie Mirabella? Crusade to take $500 million out of the automotive program. Remember the statements of the treasurer goading General Motors to leave Australia, at the time when the international investment committee was meeting in Detroit, stood up in the House of Representatives and goaded them to leave. As the head of General Motors at the time said, played chicken with the automotive industry in this country. We know, because we directly engaged with General Motors, that they were prepared to stay. They took the proposition to their own work force to substantially reduce costs at a time when the dollar was over $1.11on the parity rate. Workers voted in a secret ballot to take a pay cut, to reduce their conditions, on the condition that General Motors were prepared to invest. They came to us as a Labor government and we negotiated arrangements for two new models. A proposition which I took to the government and was endorsed by the government. General Motors, in turn, said: ‘We have to get bipartisan support for that proposition. We can’t make those sorts of investments without the support across the parliament.’ The Liberal party refused. We also know with Toyota, two new models, and if we had kept the automotive industry in place, if we had a Labor government, we would have kept the automotive industry in place and by now we’d be talking about the production of hydrogen cars in this country.” |
| As for why he believes it matters, Carr had this to say: | As for why he believes it matters, Carr had this to say: |
| What are we losing? We are losing an industry which provided 15% of our R&D for manufacturing. Manufacturing is the largest area of our R&D. 15% of our R&D for manufacturing comes out of the automotive industry. We are losing an enormous platform for our skills development. We are losing the capacity in steel, in glass, in aluminium, electronics. A modern motor car has some 250 microprocessors within it. It is probably one of the most advanced pieces of equipment ordinary people use. We are losing the capacity, one of 13 countries in the world that can make a motor car from the point of conception to the showroom floor. We are losing that capacity. What’s been put in its place? A promise about the naval ship-building program where we won’t be cutting steel for some years. Two patrol boats for Adelaide next year. Two patrol boats. We are asking the automotive industry, the automotive workers to think about two patrol boats. This is a government that has no plan for the future, has no commitment to advanced manufacturing. We are leaving automotive communities in the lurch, we are leaving this country in the lurch, because of their blatant negligence and their ideological hostility. Ideological hostility to an incredibly important industry that this country has taken generations to build. A country that, of course, is amongst the best in the world in terms of its capacity to survive the rigors of advanced manufacturing.” | What are we losing? We are losing an industry which provided 15% of our R&D for manufacturing. Manufacturing is the largest area of our R&D. 15% of our R&D for manufacturing comes out of the automotive industry. We are losing an enormous platform for our skills development. We are losing the capacity in steel, in glass, in aluminium, electronics. A modern motor car has some 250 microprocessors within it. It is probably one of the most advanced pieces of equipment ordinary people use. We are losing the capacity, one of 13 countries in the world that can make a motor car from the point of conception to the showroom floor. We are losing that capacity. What’s been put in its place? A promise about the naval ship-building program where we won’t be cutting steel for some years. Two patrol boats for Adelaide next year. Two patrol boats. We are asking the automotive industry, the automotive workers to think about two patrol boats. This is a government that has no plan for the future, has no commitment to advanced manufacturing. We are leaving automotive communities in the lurch, we are leaving this country in the lurch, because of their blatant negligence and their ideological hostility. Ideological hostility to an incredibly important industry that this country has taken generations to build. A country that, of course, is amongst the best in the world in terms of its capacity to survive the rigors of advanced manufacturing.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.08am BST | at 2.08am BST |
| 1.44am BST | 1.44am BST |
| 01:44 | 01:44 |
| The Dfat appointments are rolling out. The latest – Geoffrey Shaw as Australia’s ambassador for people smuggling and human trafficking. | The Dfat appointments are rolling out. The latest – Geoffrey Shaw as Australia’s ambassador for people smuggling and human trafficking. |
| From Julie Bishop’s statement: | From Julie Bishop’s statement: |
| The ambassador for people smuggling and human trafficking plays a lead role in advancing Australia’s international interests by countering people smuggling in support of Operation Sovereign Borders (OSB). Dr Shaw will work closely with the OSB Joint Agency Task Force to coordinate the international elements of OSB across government. | The ambassador for people smuggling and human trafficking plays a lead role in advancing Australia’s international interests by countering people smuggling in support of Operation Sovereign Borders (OSB). Dr Shaw will work closely with the OSB Joint Agency Task Force to coordinate the international elements of OSB across government. |
| The Ambassador also focuses on Australia’s regional and international engagement to combat human trafficking and modern slavery, including as co-chair with Indonesia of the 45-country Bali Process, the pre-eminent regional grouping working to address these transnational crimes. | The Ambassador also focuses on Australia’s regional and international engagement to combat human trafficking and modern slavery, including as co-chair with Indonesia of the 45-country Bali Process, the pre-eminent regional grouping working to address these transnational crimes. |
| Dr Shaw is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat) and was most recently assistant secretary, people smuggling and human trafficking taskforce. In Canberra, Dr Shaw has held a range of positions in Dfat, including as assistant secretary, Australian safeguards and non-proliferation office. He has served in senior positions in Geneva, with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, and as the IAEA representative to the United Nations in New York. | Dr Shaw is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat) and was most recently assistant secretary, people smuggling and human trafficking taskforce. In Canberra, Dr Shaw has held a range of positions in Dfat, including as assistant secretary, Australian safeguards and non-proliferation office. He has served in senior positions in Geneva, with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, and as the IAEA representative to the United Nations in New York. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.06am BST | at 2.06am BST |
| 1.38am BST | 1.38am BST |
| 01:38 | 01:38 |
| Casino inquiry doomed to fail | Casino inquiry doomed to fail |
| The casino inquiry motion is coming up in the Senate – that is on the back of the Andrew Wilkie allegations from Wednesday – but it is expected to fail. | The casino inquiry motion is coming up in the Senate – that is on the back of the Andrew Wilkie allegations from Wednesday – but it is expected to fail. |
| Both Labor and the Coalition have said the authorities and the states are better placed to carry out any investigations and without the support of either major party, the motion is doomed to fail. | Both Labor and the Coalition have said the authorities and the states are better placed to carry out any investigations and without the support of either major party, the motion is doomed to fail. |
| Here is what communications minister Mitch Fifield had to say this morning: | Here is what communications minister Mitch Fifield had to say this morning: |
| Ultimately it’s up to the Senate what it chooses to have an inquiry into it. But the Minister for Justice, Michael Kennan, has already made clear that Austrac takes any allegations seriously and will investigate those. The other allegations that have been made fall squarely into the responsibility of the Victorian government, its law enforcement agencies and its regulators. | Ultimately it’s up to the Senate what it chooses to have an inquiry into it. But the Minister for Justice, Michael Kennan, has already made clear that Austrac takes any allegations seriously and will investigate those. The other allegations that have been made fall squarely into the responsibility of the Victorian government, its law enforcement agencies and its regulators. |
| And this is what Bill Shorten had to say a couple of minutes ago: | And this is what Bill Shorten had to say a couple of minutes ago: |
| Gambling casino legislation is regulated by the state. The Senate is not a police force. The Senate is not a state house of parliament. We said straight away when we heard these allegations, very serious, deserve a full and unequivocal investigation. But you don’t send the Senate to do a job that the police have got to door that the state regulator’s got to do. This is not a question about investigating the allegations. It’s a question who is best placed to investigate them? Police and the gambling regulators with the full resources and knowledge or another committee? | Gambling casino legislation is regulated by the state. The Senate is not a police force. The Senate is not a state house of parliament. We said straight away when we heard these allegations, very serious, deserve a full and unequivocal investigation. But you don’t send the Senate to do a job that the police have got to door that the state regulator’s got to do. This is not a question about investigating the allegations. It’s a question who is best placed to investigate them? Police and the gambling regulators with the full resources and knowledge or another committee? |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.03am BST | at 2.03am BST |
| 1.33am BST | 1.33am BST |
| 01:33 | 01:33 |
| Trend unemployment lowest in four years | Trend unemployment lowest in four years |
| The ABS reports the unemployment rate for September was 5.5 % (trend) down from 5.6% in August. | The ABS reports the unemployment rate for September was 5.5 % (trend) down from 5.6% in August. |
| The ABS says that is the lowest trend rate in four years. | The ABS says that is the lowest trend rate in four years. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.38am BST | at 1.38am BST |
| 1.26am BST | 1.26am BST |
| 01:26 | 01:26 |
| Just like white chocolate isn’t technically chocolate, but you’ll still find it near the dairy milk ... | Just like white chocolate isn’t technically chocolate, but you’ll still find it near the dairy milk ... |
| The NEG is an EIS + a reliability scheme. By allowing trading, a carbon price is established, like an auction sets a house price #auspol | The NEG is an EIS + a reliability scheme. By allowing trading, a carbon price is established, like an auction sets a house price #auspol |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.52am BST | at 1.52am BST |
| 1.24am BST | 1.24am BST |
| 01:24 | 01:24 |
| Labor mourns Holden | Labor mourns Holden |
| Bill Shorten has fired the latest salvo in the “Australia First” wars, using the closure of Holden tomorrow as a rallying cry: | Bill Shorten has fired the latest salvo in the “Australia First” wars, using the closure of Holden tomorrow as a rallying cry: |
| Where are the visionaries now? Turnbull blamed the wages of the workers when Holden made their decision. He’s washed his hands of it; not his problem. Australia is a good manufacturing nation, we’re a great manufacturing nation. I want to congratulate generations of Australian workers and their families who have worked at Holden, who have worked in the auto-component industry. They are world-class trades people building a world-class product. This car industry did not need to close. It closed because of the lazy, negligent, disinterest of the right-wing economic rationalists of the Turnbull and Abbott government. They goaded the industry into going. As a result, Australia is poorer tomorrow because of the inaction and neglect of the Turnbull government. We say to those who still work in Australian manufacturing: Labor’s got your back. We understand, and if we get the privilege to form a government, we will back Australian-made and Australian manufacturing. We have announced on the weekend in South Australia the creation of an Australian manufacturing future fund. This will ensure that the finance is available for all the great manufacturing ideas, for all the small and medium businesses who want to back Australian made. I promised Australia and I promised the Australian manufacturing sector that the three-word slogan you are most going to hear from me if I’m prime minister is ‘made in Australia’. | Where are the visionaries now? Turnbull blamed the wages of the workers when Holden made their decision. He’s washed his hands of it; not his problem. Australia is a good manufacturing nation, we’re a great manufacturing nation. I want to congratulate generations of Australian workers and their families who have worked at Holden, who have worked in the auto-component industry. They are world-class trades people building a world-class product. This car industry did not need to close. It closed because of the lazy, negligent, disinterest of the right-wing economic rationalists of the Turnbull and Abbott government. They goaded the industry into going. As a result, Australia is poorer tomorrow because of the inaction and neglect of the Turnbull government. We say to those who still work in Australian manufacturing: Labor’s got your back. We understand, and if we get the privilege to form a government, we will back Australian-made and Australian manufacturing. We have announced on the weekend in South Australia the creation of an Australian manufacturing future fund. This will ensure that the finance is available for all the great manufacturing ideas, for all the small and medium businesses who want to back Australian made. I promised Australia and I promised the Australian manufacturing sector that the three-word slogan you are most going to hear from me if I’m prime minister is ‘made in Australia’. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.52am BST | at 1.52am BST |