Premier Daniel Andrews has sought urgent meetings with prime
minister Tony Abbott regarding the looming loss of hundreds of Victorian
shipbuilding jobs.
Andrews cited up to 800 job losses at BAE Systems’
Williamstown shipyard, with two current projects – on the Air Warfare Destroyer
and Landing Helicopter Dock – nearly complete and no other contracts in the
pipeline.
The federal government recently announced it was locking
local companies out of tendering for two new shipbuilding contracts, claiming
there is a lack of capacity and poor productivity.
“It makes no sense at all to have Spanish companies,
Korean companies, to have companies that are so far away from Australian
taxpayers, from Australian jobs, making these vessels, making critically
important strategic assets,” premier Andrews said, according to the ABC.
“Let’s never forget that these vessels are paid for 100
per cent by Australian taxes, they should support Australian jobs.”
The AMWU said last week that BAE would begin laying off
workers at Williamstown in February.
As well as BAE, Forgacs in Newcastle, which employs 660, could
soon begin retrenching its whole workforce without new contracts.
The Australian Financial Review reports today that new
federal defence minister Kevin Andrews’ time in his portfolio could see whether
Australia continues to have a defence industry.
“I
don’t know whether he can save South Australia but [Kevin Andrews] needs
to provide a coherent message on the future of shipbuilding in Australia,” Mark Thomson from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute told The AFR.
“The
government has no plan for new submarines or frigates. It’s all ahead of him.”
Image: AAP, Julian Smith