NATIONAL: The union representing the textile clothing and footwear (TCF) industry has accused the government of spending more money conducting a review on the industry than it will securing its future.
The attack by Textile, Clothing & Footwear Union of Australia national secretary Michele O'Neil comes in response to last night's (May 12) federal budget in which Kevin Rudd's government announced a seven-year $401 million investment in TCF.
However O'Neil, a member of the TCF Review reference group, said the government had abandoned the industry and ignored its own platform commitments.
She described the budget as being "grossly inadequate" to support the future of textile clothing and footwear jobs in Australia.
"In order to thrive as it should, the industry needs $184 million per annum and this assistance needs to continue until at least 2020. I suspect that the government has spent more money conducting a review of the TCF industry than they will in securing its future," she said.
Key highlights of the government's announcements for the sector include:
- The introduction of a new $30 million TCF Strategic Capability Program;
- The introduction of a Clothing and Household Textile Building Innovative Capability Program to support investment and innovation with $25 million in additional funding;
- The establishment of a TCF Industries Innovation Council bringing together businesses, unions, researchers and government;
- The establishment of a National TCF Innovation Network;
- The commissioning of the TCF Industries Innovation Council to provide further advice on the introduction of a voluntary ethical quality mark, voluntary national sizing standards for clothing and footwear, and a national human measurement database
As recommended by the author of last year's Review of the Australian TCF Industries, Professor Roy Green, the new package will be partially funded by discontinuing the TCF Product Diversification Scheme and not proceeding with the TCF Supply Chain Opportunities Program, due to start in 2010.
For a fully comprehensive round up of last night's budget see the next issue of Ragtrader available from Friday May 22.