Uion leader attacks Canberra over jobs

Kim Waters
The region’s leading unionist yesterday slammed Federal Government after companies announced hundreds of job cuts in Geelong over the past week.
Geelong Trades Hall secretary Tim Gooden blamed the losses on the Government’s push for free-trade agreements, tariff cuts and climate change legislation.
Mr Gooden said the cuts at Ford’s Corio plant and Telstra’s Geelong call centre followed the loss of about 1000 jobs across the city’s manufacturing industry already this year.
“The Federal Government isn’t doing us any favors,” he said.
“I think the Government still has a majority control over Telstra and, even if they haven’t, they do have a responsibility to Geelong.
“If they know that free-trade agreements, tariff cuts and global climate change legislation are having a big impact, for Christ’s sake the one thing they could do is keep government-controlled departments, like Telstra, open.”
Telstra announced on Wednesday it would axe about 160 full and part-time jobs at the Geelong centre. Late last week Ford revealed it would cut 350 jobs at its Corio and Broadmeadows plants by November on top of an earlier announcement that 600 workers would go by 2010.
Mr Gooden appealed to federal and state governments for increased funding in the final round of a Geelong Innovation and Investment fund later this year.
“The investment fund is far too small – the (Federal) Government claim the first round created only 200 jobs,” he said.
“This is a long way short of the almost-1500 jobs Geelong has lost over the last 12 months.”
Mr Gooden urged the governments to take more responsibility for workers and their families.
“We need a plan that meets all our future needs, not just the needs of business in the short term,” he said.
In response to Mr Gooden, federal Member for Corangamite Darren Cheeseman said the Testra cuts “disgusted” him.
He labelled the Telstra announcement “unnecessary” and “purely for cost cutting”.
“I think it’s totally unnecessary to cut jobs in Geelong and it’s a blow to our region,” he said.
State Member for Geelong Ian Trezise said his Government would continue to support manufacturing industry growth in the city.
“Any job loss in Geelong is a tragedy for the individual and their family. It’s also a blow for the community,” Mr Trezise said.
“As State Government, we will have to work with industry to provide other job opportunities.”