Free Trade
Why are we supporting jobs in China, shutting down our industries and selling off our country to overseas corporations?
Back in 1986, when Paul Keating started the push for a ‘free market’, the Australian economy was stripped of all its defences. The Howard government continued the work with even more zeal and now both major parties champion the scrapping of subsidies, tariffs and government preferences for Australian manufacturing – All in the name of “Free Trade”.
These policies left only 2 possibilities;
1. Work under Chinese conditions – wage levels, environmental standards and work settings ...or.2. Close down all our manufacturing, agriculture and industry.
Since that time, it’s fairly obvious to see the effect on our industries.
86% of cars on our roads used to be Australian made. Now only 21%,
One of Australia’s biggest ship builders, NQEA used to employ 1000 people. Now 60. The story for untold numbers of other companies across all markets is the same.
We were once 95% self-sufficient in oil, now we’re only 65%. So now we’re at the mercy of the world’s major oil producing nations for our supply and the corporation controlled markets for our price.
Our mining industry was once almost entirely Australian owned, as was dairy, sugar, meat process, railways and major construction. This is most certainly not the case today.
Sheep numbers have dropped from 174 million to 68million (In 1990, 15% of all Australian exports came from wool)
We used to have 33 million cattle. Now only 26 million.
Over the last 10 years Australia has signed free trade agreements with Singapore, Thailand and the USA. According to a report commissioned by the Victorian Branch of the Electrical
Trades Union, even the Singapore free trade agreement has cost us jobs in the
manufacturing sector.
It is estimated that in total the three agreements have cost Australia 26,000 manufacturing jobs.
In the case of each country our imports have increased faster than our exports and, in the case of Singapore, our exports have gone backwards.
In the case of Thailand the composition of our trade has changed. Exports of vehicles fell from $4.6 million in 2005 to $1.8 million in 2007 while imports of motor vehicles tripled from $1 billion in 2004 to $3 billion.
If Julia Gillard has her way Australia will sign a free trade agreement with China. According to the ETU’s report, the best we could hope for is to lose another 7,000 jobs to China. The worst case would be the loss of another 160,000 jobs.
The Australian Party is committed to providing support and protection to Australian industries and reversing this madness, bringing jobs back home and reviving our once proud manufacturing and agriculture industries. To see this happen, we will push to ensure;
Australia does not sign any more free trade agreements, especially with countries like
China, the social, labour, environment and financial policies of which make it
impossible for Australia to compete.
A law is implemented requiring the Parliament to approve treaties before they are
signed. Presently the Government of the day simply signs the Australian people up to watever international treaty takes their fancy without any requirement to consult the parliament of the people.
All Governments, where practical to purchase Australian goods only. The very first
place where this should be implemented is through the purchase of Australian made cars for all governmental departments. Where governments can’t source locally made products they should be required to purchase imported product through Australian companies to allow opportunities for value adding, innovation, employment and the development of local warranty, repair and support facilities.
Lets once again become proud to be Australian Made.
