The Guardian 24 August, 2005
Rolling out the sub-standard
Sub-standard railway rolling stock is being imported into New South Wales, threatening jobs and skills and ignoring ALP policy on local manufacturing content.
The revelation came as the NSW government released local content guidelines that tag assembled, imported rolling stock as locally made.
"We continue to be dismayed by a lack of commitment to coherent manufacturing policy", said Paul Bastian from the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU). "Now the state government has released local content guidelines that will see an entire fleet of trains manufactured overseas.
"It’s an absolute joke and a farce."
"They came up with a 20% local content figure which they just plucked out of the air. It’s not rocket science. One side wanted 40% local content, the other side wanted zero, so they come up with this 20% figure in the middle."
Ambiguity in the new content guidelines means goods manufactured overseas but assembled in Australia are considered Australian made.
Imported Chinese wagons are undergoing rectification work to bring them up to standard for operation on Australian rail.
The latest round of tenders for rolling stock to be purchased by the NSW government would allow for all components to be imported under Public Private Partnership arrangements.
"We remain committed to maintaining Australia’s skills base, ensuring Australian content and jobs in the Hunter", said Mr Bastian, who warned that AMWU members in the Hunter would not forget who cost their jobs.