Turnbull must fight for Australian jobs on China visit

Published: 13 Apr 2016

The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union has called on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to fight for Aussie jobs when he meets with China’s leaders this week.

China is a major contributor of cheap and substandard products that are dumped in Australia each year. Malcolm Turnbull has done nothing to stem the flow of these dangerous products that are a threat to safety and jobs.

CFMEU National Secretary Michael O’Connor called on Malcolm Turnbull to fight for Australian workers and their families.

“We have low expectations of Malcolm Turnbull’s visit to China. If Malcolm Turnbull can’t stand up to his own Party, how can he stand up for Australian jobs?,” Mr O’Connor said.

“Will Malcolm Turnbull show some backbone and challenge China’s leaders in the interest of Australian workers, their families and the communities that rely on their jobs?

“Manufacturing in Australia is in crisis. The steel industry, the forest and forestry products industry are all losing jobs to dumped Chinese products.

“Australian workers and their families are being left high and dry, while Malcolm Turnbull oversees the flood of cheap imports from China that are destroying Australian jobs.”

Chinese state owned companies have repeatedly breached World Trade Organisation rules on anti-dumping.

The dumping of cheap products has led to the collapse of local industries that cannot compete with the cheap products from China. The products are usually of poor quality and pose safety problems to local workers and the community.

“What is Malcolm Turnbull doing about the import and dumping of dangerous products in Australia? These products are a threat to workers, the community and local jobs,” Mr O’Connor said.

“Malcolm Turnbull must use his China visit to fight for Australian jobs or else it’s just a waste of time. He must put Australian workers and their families ahead of foreign business interests.

“The CFMEU warned the Government that Australian jobs would suffer if they didn’t hold the line with China on recent free trade agreements.”