By Cagerattler
Last night ABC TV showed a story that revolved around the Australian car industry’s demise, focusing mainly on GMH.
I am in real fear of this current philosophy of the Federal Government’s policy on no longer subsidizing heavy industry. I think not helping these companies out is SO WRONG.
The main issue for me whilst watching this thought-provoking report was concern for the parts manufacturers (which number in the hundreds as it happens) that supply components to Ford, Holden and Toyota. One industry analyst said that 44,000 jobs were directly affected and about 198,000 indirectly. How can this happen?
Our Government has this seeming preoccupation with returning the economy to surplus, to the detriment of manufacturing industries. If I ever get the chance to ask a serving Federal Liberal member how they can sleep at night by supporting such policies I will. And it’s not just the car industry either unfortunately – this stupidly selfish government policy is affecting, or will affect, so many other manufacturing arms and just so the Prime Minister can say “Oh good, we returned the economy to surplus.”
Australia is one of the world’s most resource-rich economies, yet downstream processing of our own resources jobs is being sent offshore so we can buy it back at cheap prices…Why can’t Australian governments, of all persuasions, take a more holistic approach and definitely a much longer term look at things instead of all this rubbish? When we lose across-the-board manufacturing industries we lose our skills base too and become a country reliant on imports as time goes on; if we continue to pander to countries buying our country right from under our noses what do we finish up as?
It has to stop. We have to say to this crazy government ‘You can’t do this… Stick up for us… Don’t sell us off’.
I have a clear conscience. I didn’t vote for this mob whose lack of support for the car industry hasn’t helped at all.
Time to reflect on ANZAC Day…I was telling my US friend about ANZAC day and how we ‘commemorate’ rather than ‘celebrate’ this hugely important part of our identity as a nation, and how the sacrifices by the original diggers on April 25th 1915, the weeks and months before that day at the very early part of the Great War and in World War II, and all conflicts right up until now are not and never will be forgotten.
The ultimate sacrifice by so many, but also those who lived the rest of their lives with terrible handicaps and disabilities, cannot be allowed to be taken for granted – not ever.
What do you think?
Rod McGiveron.
