2016-04-14
Greens Industry spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today said Labor’s plan to supposedly save the Australian steel industry by ‘maximising’ local steel used in government projects is too weak and called on Labor to add a seventh point: ‘Don’t sign the Trans Pacific Partnership’.
“The Australian steel industry is under threat and thousands of people across Australia working in the industry lack certainty about the future of their jobs,” Mr Bandt said.
“The Greens welcome Labor announcing plans to reduce dumping of foreign-produced steel in the Australian market, yet Labor wants to sign up to the TPP which would make it even harder to have strong government procurement policies for local steel.”
“With Labor on track to sign the TPP, Bill Shorten is putting questionable trade deals ahead of local jobs.”
“If Labor is serious about saving the Australian steel industry, it will commit to not signing Australia up to the TPP and have a much stronger government procurement policy for government projects.”
“The Greens would like to see all government infrastructure and construction projects to using at least 90 per cent locally produced steel, including the hundreds of new wind turbines that will be constructed in Australia under the Greens’ Renew Australia energy plan, but successive Labor/Liberal ‘free trade’ deals make it difficult to support local industry.”
View the entire Greens’ Renew Australia plan here.
Media contact: Adam Pulford, 0429 109 054