A Scoresby medical device manufacturer, Austramedex, is one of dozens of manufacturers in Knox who are gravely concerned about job losses due to the Government’s carbon tax.
Federal Member for Aston, Alan Tudge MP, visited Austramedex on Friday to understand the issues.
Managing Director of Austramedex, Mr Barry Lazarus, informed Mr Tudge that manufacturing is already under pressure in Australia and that the carbon tax just adds to this pressure.
Mr Lazarus has written to the Prime Minister, inviting her to visit his business and explain to him and his staff, how the government plans to support manufacturing in Australia.
In his letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Lazarus says: “I am the owner of a small-medium sized medical device manufacturing company. My company is the only Australian manufacturer of the devices we supply, all others are imported.
“Now with the threat of your proposed carbon tax, combined with weakening international markets and resultant strong Australian dollar, just how long can we continue to keep jobs in Australia? I feel that with such a tax, the few of us continuing to manufacture goods in Australia will be penalised for doing what we have been encouraged to do for years.
“So Prime Minister, I ask you, how do you suggest that I keep my company competitive under the proposed tax system?
“I would like to invite you to my company to discuss how this could work. I would like to invite you to sit with me and my employees and explain to us how we will not be penalised for manufacturing in Australia,” Mr Lazarus said.
Mr Tudge said, “Real businesses, real jobs, and the livelihoods of people in Knox are at stake,” Mr Tudge said.
“The carbon tax will increase costs on Australian manufactures, but not on overseas manufactures we compete with. We are putting lead in our own saddle-bags when manufacturers are already doing it tough with the high Aussie dollar and fierce competition from China.
“Every day local manufacturers tell me they will be forced to stop manufacturing and to start importing, costing dozens of local jobs.
“Many parents in Knox who are trying to get ahead and provide for their families, will be penalised by Julia Gillard’s carbon tax,” Mr Tudge said.
“Families in Knox are already struggling and the carbon tax will make a bad situation worse with a $515 a year hit on their cost of living. And that’s just for starters. Knox residents will pay more for everything under Julia Gillard’s carbon tax – the biggest and most punitive carbon tax in the world,” Mr Tudge said.
