Australia’s steel and aluminium industries can not only survive but thrive in the face of Donald Trump’s tariffs if the government acts decisively, according to the Australian Workers’ Union.
The AWU has long been calling for a range of measures that could support Australia’s steel and aluminium sectors to manage headwinds, grow and develop into true global leaders in the 21st century.
AWU National Secretary Paul Farrow said while Trump’s tariffs were obviously a risk, the silver lining would be if they spurred Australia to wake up and act.
“Australia is very good at making steel and aluminium. Trump knows it and it’s about time we recognise it too,” Mr Farrow said.
“We need to stop eating this crap we’ve been fed by the Coalition that Australians can’t make things competitively.
“What the government must do now is simple. Australian steel and Australian aluminium must be mandated for use in all Australian infrastructure and government buildings from this point onward.
“Australia’s purist free market approach on procurement was naive a decade ago, sticking to it now would be sheer idiocy. If government money is being used to build, say, a wind turbine then the towers should be made from Australian steel.
“We know China and others have been dumping steel and aluminium below cost on our market and we need to stop that now. Allowing below-cost foreign steel into the country is a short-term sugar hit that would completely screw us tomorrow. The government should act now and the Opposition should quickly back it.
“Australia absolutely can and should be a green heavy manufacturing powerhouse of the 21st century. But to get there we need to keep our industries rolling today through this hurdle, and that means toughening up on procurement and anti-dumping measures.”
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Anil Lambert 0416 426 722