www.abc.net.au
13/07/10
The Federal Government has come under attack for failing to include Australia's only domestic producer of solar panels in a Commonwealth tender. The $1.5 billion Solar Flagship program is committed to building up to four large-scale solar power plants in Australia. But Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) spokesman Tim Ayres says Australian company Silex was overlooked and the Federal Government has chosen overseas competitors instead.
"This company is going to be a successful company into the future but this is an important opportunity to use a Government program to deliver for Australian manufacturing", he said. "The great risk is climate change policy won't lead to leading edge manufacturing jobs - if we're going to be a country that makes things these sorts of opportunities shouldn't be missed". Mr Ayres says Silex was overlooked because it could not compete with overseas competitors on cost. The AMWU estimates the contract would have delivered 250 direct solar manufacturing jobs and that the Commonwealth needs to kick-start domestic providers, instead of looking to competitors like China and the United States.
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