A Chris Minns Labor Government will prioritise local content and back New South Wales jobs by setting local content targets, increasing tender weightings and setting up the NSW Jobs First Commission to back manufacturers in the state.
Under Labor’s plan to rebuild domestic manufacturing, Labor will set a target of 50 per cent minimum local content for future rolling stock contracts, by the end of our first term – just like Victoria.
In addition, Labor will increase tender weightings to 30 per cent capturing local content, job creation, small business, and ethical supply chains – to get us to where Queensland is.
NSW Labor will also set up a NSW Jobs First Commission – an independent, expert body, to oversee the implementation and growth of local industries, supporting and advocating for local firms in bidding for government tenders – like they do down south.
Labor will collaborate with industry and local government to make our demand pipeline as easy as possible for local suppliers.
Over the last decade under the Liberals, NSW has lost 42,000 manufacturing jobs, while comparatively Queensland gained 6000. What’s more, we’ve missed out on 4,000 more jobs due to offshoring of major infrastructure and transport projects as a result of decisions by the NSW Liberals.
This has to stop. We can’t rebuild an entire sector overnight – but we have to start somewhere.
It’s taken Victoria 7 years, but they have now supported 40,000 local jobs since 2014 as a direct result of their local procurement policies. It’s time for a new direction in New South Wales.
With the loss of jobs, New South Wales has also seen the demise of the skills and training centres to support our manufacturing industry.
Labor will address the skills gap through TAFE manufacturing centres of excellence – starting with Western Sydney, the Hunter, and Illawarra. We’ll have more to say about this closer to the election.
Western Australia has been able to stand up its own domestic manufacturing within the state, and the original Inner West Light Rail under Labor ran a fleet of Variotrams that were built in Victoria. It’s time for NSW to begin this journey.
NSW Labor Leader Chris Minns said:
“New South Wales has a proud history of building in NSW. I want to bring that back but it requires the will and the belief that we can do this right here in New South Wales.”
“I’m proud to announce that this will be my first Premier’s priority if I have the privilege of forming Government next March.
“I want to be clear – this will not happen overnight, but I back NSW made and I am determined to get the ball rolling.”
Jo Haylen Shadow Minister for Transport said:
“When the NSW government decided to build trains, trams, buses and ferries overseas our state lost thousands of manufacturing jobs and we spent billions of dollars on transport infrastructure riddled with defects that just keeps on failing passengers.
“We need to build our trains, trams, buses and ferries right here. That way we create good jobs across our community and make sure passengers and taxpayers get trains, trams and ferries that actually work.”
Anoulack Chanthivong MP, NSW Shadow Minister for Industry said:
“The Liberals have ignored and abandoned domestic manufacturing for too long.
“Labor will rebuild our local domestic manufacturing industry. This will create jobs, better wages, grow our economy and back NSW manufacturers.”
Tim Crakanthorp MP, NSW Shadow Minister for Skills and TAFE said:
“We’ve virtually lost our domestic manufacturing industry under the NSW Liberals and with that we have lost the skills and the training they provide.”
“Once they go, it’s very difficult to get back.”
“Labor wants NSW to be a manufacturing powerhouse, and we want to train and skill up the next generation of high paid, high skilled workers who will literally build a better NSW for future generations.”
