Budget Promotes Jobs for the boys
13 May 2009, 12:37pm
TCFUA Media Release
BUDGET PROMOTES JOBS FOR THE BOYS The Textile Clothing & Footwear Union of Australia (‘TCFUA’) today strongly criticized the Federal budget response to the TCF industry. As part of the Federal budget, the Government today announced its response to the TCF Report it received in August 2008, with a continuation of the Howard Government’s planned expenditure and tariff reduction. The $401million dollar, seven year program represents only a $10million increase on what the Howard Government had in place for the industry. Ms Michele O’Neil, National Secretary of the TCFUA and a member of the Review’s Reference Group slammed the Government for abandoning the TCF industry and ignoring its own ALP Platform commitments. These include reversing the Howard Government’s scheduled reductions in industry funding and freezing tariffs if the social impact of reductions was too severe. ‘The budget response is grossly inadequate to support the future of textile, clothing and footwear jobs in this country’ she said. ‘In order to thrive, as it should, the industry needs $184million per annum and this assistance needs to continue until at least 2020’ she continued. ‘The Prime Minister claims that he wants to live in a country that ‘makes things’ and yet his Government is effectively turning its back on the TCF industry’ she continued. In contrast, the Government has pledged $6.2billion to assist the automotive industry from 2008- 2021. This funding was committed less than 4 months after the Government received the automotive review report. The TCF industry has waited 9 months to receive a substandard response from Government. ‘The TCF industry employs more people than the automotive does, and yet the assistance being meted out to it dwarfs that of the TCF industry.’ Ms O’Neil said. ‘The Government is also pouring billions of dollars into infrastructure that will support the construction industry.’ ‘We support these infrastructure and automotive initiatives but ask the Government, where are the dollars that will support women’s employment? This seems like a clear case of jobs for the boys’ she continued. ‘I suspect that the Government has spent more money conducting a review of the TCF industry than they will in securing its future’ Ms O’Neil said. The TCFUA last year launched the Make It Here campaign to pressure the Government to provide adequate funding for the industry. The union plan to continue their campaign. www.MakeItHere.com For further information please contact TCFUA National Secretary Michele O’Neil on 0419 338 853
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