LABOR’S CON-JOB

30 Jan 2025

Member for Kiama Gareth Ward has welcomed the news that inmates at the South Coast Correctional Centre will be working at the Foton Mobility bus assembly plant in Nowra.

However, Mr Ward has slammed Labor’s pre-election promise to promote manufacturing jobs in NSW given that these buses will only be assembled, and not manufactured in the region.

Combined with Sydney’s second airport line trains being manufactured overseas, Mr Ward said Labor’s commitment to local manufacturing and manufacturing jobs is now in tatters.

“For example, not one ounce of BlueScope Steel will be used in any of these buses. Contrast this with my Princes Highway upgrade projects which comprised 90% Australian steel,” Mr Ward said.

“This isn’t Labor’s promised manufacturing jobs. This is a hard Labor con-job in every sense of the word!

“Why didn’t NSW Labor engage Custom Denning, a local electric bus manufacture that would have seen more local jobs throughout construction and the development of local supply chains and associated employment?

“Custom Denning is exporting buses from NSW but won’t be manufacturing buses for NSW.

“And how many of these overseas manufactured buses will be supporting enhancements in public transport in our region?

“Whilst I will always welcome job opportunities in our region, today’s announcement is a far cry from what Labor promised at the election,” Mr Ward concluded.

ENDS.