Hundreds of jobs at a Wangaratta textile manufacturer are at risk after the Baillieu-Ryan Government awarded a $1 million police shirt contract to a Chinese importer over a local company, the Shadow Manufacturing Minister, Adem Somyurek, said today.
Mr Somyurek said local manufacturer, Bruck Textiles, had previously manufactured material for the shirts.
“What a shocking waste - the Victorian manufactured fabric is ready in a warehouse. But the Baillieu-Ryan Government has decided to junk it and instead fully import the shirts from China,” Mr Somyurek said.
“Our police uniforms are iconic – the Baillieu-Ryan Government is sending a terrible message that it is content to see Victorian jobs sent to China.”
Mr Somyurek said this short-sighted decision meant there was now a dagger hanging over the Victorian textile industry – and the future of Bruck Textiles and regional and rural jobs.
“If the full contract goes to China, jobs will be lost in Wangaratta,” he said.
“This is not about "global competition". It’s about whether the Baillieu-Ryan Government sees a future for Victorian manufacturing.”
Mr Somyurek said today’s news follows the Baillieu-Ryan Government’s refusal to rule out ending local content procurement requirements and strategic financial support for local manufacturers – key recommendations of a recent Victorian Government commissioned review of manufacturing.
“The only plan the Baillieu-Ryan Government has for Victorian manufacturing is a funeral plan,” Mr Somyurek said.
“In contrast Labor is a proud supporter of local manufacturers and local jobs for Regional Victoria.
“In Government, Labor strengthened local content requirements within Victoria’s Industry Participation Policy with the backing of local industry and unions.
“Between 2001 and 2010, VIPP was applied to 1405 projects valued at more than $27 billion supporting more than 27200 new Victorian jobs.
“We achieved an average local content level of about 85.7 per cent on these projects and a total $618 million of import replacement. “