SUBS PROJECT CONFIRMS AUSTRALIAN JOBS ARE NOT A PRIORITY

MATT KEOGH MP.
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3 years ago
SUBS PROJECT CONFIRMS AUSTRALIAN JOBS ARE NOT A PRIORITY
MATT KEOGH MP
Defence documents reveal the Morrison’ Government is prioritising overseas resources for Australia’s Future Submarine Program over Aussie jobs.

This admission is in response to a Labor request of Freedom of Information for Government documents from the “Transfer of Technology Options Report” and documents from the “Way Forward Review”.

Reports today confirm there is no intention from the Morrison Government to prioritise Australian jobs. Instead, they fail once again to be honest with the Australian public about how many Australian jobs this program will be create and how much local industry involvement there really is.

Australian businesses need a fair go at winning Defence contracts, which means we need a sustainable skilled workforce, not the sloppy seconds that are contract to contract recruitment. 

The Morrison Government’s Naval shipbuilding program was promised to create 15,000 jobs – but the massive skills shortage across the country means this figure may be jeopardised. 

According to an analysis of Australia's engineering workforce, there are none appropriately trained in drafting in the country with the knowledge and experience to contribute to the submarine's design.

Seven years of the Liberals has seen $3 billion cut from TAFE and training, widespread skills shortages, and 140,000 apprentices and trainees lost. 

The necessary skills for defence industry are not being produced in Australia and that's a failure of this government's policy settings.

The Morrison Government’s mismanagement of the Future Submarine project is to the detriment of Australia’s strategic imperative.  

Where is the Minister to explain this?
Defence