Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Jacinta Allan has refused to guarantee promised local content for Labor’s botched $2.3b High Capacity Metro Train (HCMT) project.
Failing to keep this local content provision will result in fewer jobs for Victorian workers and less money for Victorian family budgets.
The HCMT project is two years behind schedule and riddled with technical problems.
Cracks in Daniel Andrews and Jacinta Allan’s claims for 60 per cent local content began to appear not long after the contract for the 65 High Capacity Metro Trains was signed with the Chinese manufacturer CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles in September 2016.
Concerningly, the Local Jobs First Annual Report 2018-19, reported the local content figure to be only 50 per cent, 10 per cent lower than promised by Labor.
When questioned in Parliament, Jacinta Allan has refused to answer a simple Question on Notice about Labor failing to guarantee that the local job targets will be met in full.
Her inadequate response was:
“I thank the Member for Southern Metropolitan Region for his question.
Specific data relating to local content for the High Capacity Metro Train fleet will be calculated upon Provisional Acceptance of the fleet.”
This provides no confidence for rail construction jobs at all. It’s an absolute fudge of an answer.
Victorians have lost confidence in the Andrews Labor Government as it breaks promise after promise, costing Victorian jobs.
Comments attributable to Shadow Minister for Transport Infrastructure, David Davis:
“Why, when faced with the chance to guarantee Victorian jobs, did Jacinta Allan step back from providing the certainty Victorian workers and families deserve?
“The fear is that Jacinta Allan and Andrews have allowed the share of HCMT construction undertaken by the Chinese Communist Government controlled CRRC Changchun group to increase at the expense of Victorian and Australian manufacturing.
“Labor has provided no security for local manufacturing industry and Jacinta Allan should hang her head in shame.
“It’s time Labor came clean on the problems involved with its botched HCMT project.
“Daniel Andrews’ dodgy Belt and Road Initiative with the Chinese Communist Party is a great deal for China but a terrible deal for Victoria.
“Why is he so obsessed with doing the bidding of Chinese Communist owned companies like CRRC Changchun?”
