Labor slams Abbott’s ‘token’ for Geelong

TONY Abbott’s plan for a manufacturing centre at Waurn Ponds is a “token gesture” to make up for $154 million in funding cuts to Deakin University, according to Labor.
Federal Member for Corio Richard Marles and Senator Kim Carr said Mr Abbott’s “latest attempt to shore up his leadership” would fail to undo damage to Geelong from “his cuts to industry, education and research”.
They were responding to Mr Abbott’s announcement today in News Corp’s Geelong Advertiser of $14 million to establish the centre at Deakin’s Waurn Ponds campus. Mr Abbott also announced that Newcomb would host a P-Tech school, which will focus on maths and science.
“Geelong has been sinking under the loss of manufacturing jobs, a condition heightened by the Abbott Government’s relentless attacks on the automotive industry,” the Labor pair said in a joint statement.
“Geelong does not need another media stunt from Tony Abbott, who for the second time in two days is attempting to save his own job. What Geelong is calling for is a credible new jobs plan that can help the region attract new investment and employment following the closure of Alcoa and as Ford ceases car manufacturing in Geelong next year.”
Mr Marles and Mr Carr said the Abbott Government had cut $150 million from Deakin’s teaching program and $4 million from its research.
Mr Abbott had also turned down a Victorian Government offer to extend and boost funding for a Geelong Region Innovation Investment Fund to counter automotive job losses in the region, they said.
“The fund was designed to support investments that lead to sustainable new jobs in Geelong and Melbourne’s North to assist Ford workers and their supply chains. Along with the 100,000 job losses Victoria is facing a loss of $13 billion in Gross Regional Product (GRP) by the end of 2017 which will be hardest felt in regional cities like Geelong.
“Tony Abbott cannot shy away from his responsibility to the Australian people to actually attract investment that will result in new jobs being created in the Geelong region.”