AWU National Secretary Daniel Walton has painted a bright future for Australian manufacturing, if business, governments and the community are prepared for the challenge.
Speaking at the Sydney Institute yesterday Daniel said a 21st century Australian manufacturing revolution was no pipe dream, but a very achievable goal.
He pointed to the huge number of major projects underway, every one a chance to be built with Australian steel, aluminium, glass, cement, bricks, copper and manufactured products.
Daniel said key challenges and opportunities included:
Energy: We are blessed with abundant fuel resources but the world's highest power prices.
Renewables: In areas such as wind farms and large-scale battery storage we have everything we need to become a global leader.
Procurement: We must take a hard look at where governments choose to spend our tax dollars.
Dumping: We must stop nations cheating and selling their goods below cost into Australia. We need to get serious about anti-dumping. Our competitors do.
Government support: Back Australian business to win more work at home, boost exports and business abroad, and help our small and medium businesses to grow and create new jobs.
To do all this we can use what we already have in spades: our skills, our educated workforce, and our world-class research bodies.
"Hundreds of quality blue-collar jobs lie within easy reach. We just need the political courage to reach out and grab them."
You can view Daniel's full speech here
