Labor has welcomed Transport Minister Andrew Constance’s stunning announcement that the Berejiklian Government would return to building transport infrastructure onshore in NSW. In a media release issued today NSW Labor Leader Jodi McKay said "Since 2011, successive NSW Liberal governments have sent local jobs offshore, awarding contracts worth billions of dollars to overseas manufacturers and contributing to a hollowing out of the domestic sector. They have purchased:
Ferries from China and Indonesia
Buses from Malaysia
Trains from South Korea and China
Metros from India
Light rail vehicles from France and Spain"
"But in a major backflip, Mr Constance today flagged a break from Ms Berejiklian’s policy of cost-cutting and offshoring Australian manufacturing jobs by telling journalists:
“COVID will see a realignment of global manufacturing, no doubt. That’s an opportunity for our country to reassess and move forward with heavy manufacturing as opposed to light manufacturing. No one drives a car in this country unless it’s manufactured overseas, same with trains, has been for years. I think there is an opportunity for us to have a look at that.”
NSW Labor Leader Jodi McKay welcomed Mr Constance’s change of heart, saying: “Building our trains, light rail cars, buses and ferries in NSW would create Australian jobs here in NSW, and it would boost our State’s economy.
“But time and time again the Berejiklian Government has paid countries like China, Spain and Indonesia to build our State’s transport projects. I agree with Andrew Constance, let’s build them here in NSW.
“Let’s use the procurement power of the NSW Government to create NSW jobs, that’s one of the most significant steps that could be taken to boost our economy.”
October 2019: "Labor has published leaked emails from the Government’s private ferries contractor, TransDev. These show the Government will source the fleet from Indonesia and China. Let’s get this straight. Buses from Malaysia. Trains from Korea. Light rail vehicles from France and Spain. Our people in NSW have the talent. We have the diversity and the capacity. Regions like the Hunter, Mid North Coast and Western Sydney are hungry for opportunities. A Labor Government will use its procurement powers to support local industry, businesses and jobs. We will never sell the people of NSW short." Image: Jodi McKay with Yasmin Catley MP Daniel Mookhey AMWU - Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union Maritime Union of Australia - Sydney Branch
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