Eric Ripper, leader of the Labor Party in Western Australia, is to be congratulated for his promotion of a Skilled Local Jobs Bill, in an attempt to keep jobs in Australia instead of them being sent overseas.
Peter Tinley, the WA Labor Party’s spokesperson for Local Jobs, said “The Bill would make it a requirement for the State Government to negotiate commitments from our major resources projects to undertake specific skilled engineering and fabrication work in WA, prior to projects going ahead. The Bill rejects mandating arbitrary percentages of local content for projects, instead requiring the State Government to negotiate the best deal possible for each project.”
This sort of idea is a step in the right direction.
Protectionists have been promoting the concept of requiring Australian government purchasing to be of products made in Australia wherever practically possible, and applying the same requirement for those companies entering into government contracts with regards to their purchasing for said contracts – and it is great to see people such as Ripper coming to the party (so to speak).
Buying Australian Made is not always possible in all situations, but the principle should be put in place for government purchasing as a way of assisting Australian industries and keeping Australian jobs in Australia.
It’s a ripper of an idea!
References:
“Unions to press Labor for protection of jobs”, The Australian, 26 August 2011
“BlueScope jobs losses shows action must be taken on WA jobs”, WA Labor Party, 23 August 2011
“Too many jobs being sent offshore: Ripper”, Mandurah Coastal Times, 23 May 2011
“Local jobs: Support Labor’s skilled local jobs bill 2011”, Peter Tinley AM MLA (Member for Willagee, Labor Spokesperson for Local Jobs)
“State opposition leader Eric Ripper spruiks local content bill”, Perth Now, 13 May 2011
“Local content discontent”, The West Australian, 16 March 2011
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While I don't belive in the globalised world I'm concerned by threads like this. The only way the Government will buy Australian goods is by legislating and regulating the process -: and guess what? Isn't government inteference what we're fighting against?
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I think Eric Ripper is a Protectionist, he just doesn't know it yet.
For too long Labor and Liberal have believed in the failed benefits of a globalised world but it is increasingly clear Australia is losing jobs to cheap foreign competition. It is a ridiculous notion to think Australia can compete against the huddled masses of Asia on price. We need to retain manufacturing jobs here but instead Liberal and Labor have been busy with 'free trade agreements' signalling a death to our industrial production.
It is a belated and positive realisation for many Politicians that many of the supposed benefits of WA's mining boom have not filtered down to manufacturing and construction employment. Australian workers in non-mining employment also deserve to be able to share in the wealth.
Australian jobs and people need protection from the huddled masses of Asia.